Apple has long delayed entering the foldable smartphone market, with rumors dating back to 2015 suggesting the company’s hesitancy was primarily due to the prominent screen creases seen on competing devices. However, a recent TrendForce report indicates that Apple may have solved this engineering hurdle using a combination of variable-thickness glass and a specialized, high-tech adhesive . iPhone Fold (mockup) According to the report, Apple has patented an ultra-thin glass (UTG) design with variable thickness . The glass is chemically strengthened and designed to be locally thinned at the bending axis to enhance flexibility, while the non-folding regions remain thicker to maintain impact resistance. To fully eliminate the visible line, Apple is reportedly utilizing an optically clear adhesive (OCA) . While screen creases are typically caused by fatigue stress and glass deformation from repeated folding, the OCA helps distribute this physical stress.…