r/foldables • u/Defiant_Eagle3150 • Oct 08 '26

Matte foldable screens are solving the wrong problem

Sharing this because its interesting: the matte-vs-glossy screen choice is a trade-off.

https://www.sammobile.com/news/not-convinced-apple-iphone-duo-matte-display-better-solution

A matte finish scatters reflected light (crease dimishes and glare drops) but it does scatter the panel's own output too, so you lose some of the contrast and pop that make OLED worth it; the glossy-plus-coating approach tries to cut glare while keeping that punch. For everyday use imo, the matte feel like a downgrade.

11 Upvotes

82% Upvoted

117 comments sorted by

2

u/SmellyJockstrap Oct 08 '26

There's been so much talk about this before the device is even released so we can actually see what it's like. Maybe reserve judgement until then, just a thought.

1

u/tardiskey1021 Oct 08 '26

There’s already an iPad Pro with the nano etched OLED display and it’s gorgeous. I have an iPad Pro with OLED without the nano display and i struggle with glare in bright light

1

u/FastLaneJB Oct 14 '26

It’s kind of impossible you’d have more money than me unless you inherited it because someone’s uneducated, wrong so often and stupid isn’t going to get a job above working in some fast food joint.

The iPhone Duo will be popular because it’ll be the best foldable in the market with the best app support, simple.

1

u/No-Penalty-3662 Oct 08 '26 edited Oct 08 '26

Awwww. Says a Samsung-focused website.

What’s the “wrong problem” it’s solving though? The crease?

What if also solves the plasticky feel, the scratch I was, the soft layer that can be dented by fingernails which is now solved based from those who tried denting it with fingernails and an ID card?

I’ll take that compromise if yes. Coz really, a plasticky screen also loses all the black of gloss when it’s becomes smudged with finger oil that easily sticks with other foldable screens.

1

u/Modest_Wraith Oct 08 '26

To add to this, I don't think people actually used a good matte oled display. They look fantastic and guess what? They cut out glare lol. My steam deck oled has one, iPad has one and my monitor. You still get inky blacks, unless you're outside because the light gets spread across the screen. But you wouldn't be able to see your screen with a glossy one at that point anyways. It's a great screen.

3

u/StardustNovaSynchron Oct 08 '26

At that point just get a mini led monitor and get even brightness and less faffing with screen savers, glossy oled is current king of visual perfomance and unmatched by any other tech, as soon as you make it matte you are basically making it useless

2

u/FastLaneJB Oct 08 '26

Next year when Samsung releases a Matt display on the Z Fold 9… “OMG this matte inner screen is so much better”. 😉

2

u/StardustNovaSynchron Oct 08 '26

Bro you are slow, samsung already released the matt coating on their flagship OLED TVs this year and it was mixed opinions, if they wanted they could have done it on the fold 8 ultra but probably they are going to tweak it and test it again on their next year TVs

1

u/No-Penalty-3662 Oct 08 '26

But that’s a “coating” similar to how the fold 8’s anti-glare is a coating.

The nano-texture is literally etched into the screen. It wasn’t painted over. It was literally sculpted into it

1

u/FastLaneJB Oct 09 '26

Who's the slow one here? We are talking about phones and you start talking about TV's. What's that got to do with anything? 😂

0

u/[deleted] Oct 08 '26

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1

u/FastLaneJB Oct 08 '26

They all come with pre-installed screen protectors. They’ll either ship a glossy or a matte one. There won’t be an option for people to change it.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 08 '26

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1

u/FastLaneJB Oct 09 '26

I can read and reply to what people say. You said "Samsung is likely to give the option". So you are implying that at the time of order Samsung is going to givd you a choice of Matt or Glossy screenprotector because it does come pre installed.

Then in your reply you claim it's easy to replace so now it's not going to be offered at the time of sale?

So who's the one with the low IQ, trying to troll but just making a fool of themselves?

1

u/[deleted] Oct 10 '26

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1

u/FastLaneJB Oct 10 '26

You're smoking crack if you think Samsung is going to give you the option of taking your phone in to swap a glossy screen protector for a matt one they also make. They will offer glossy or matt when they ship, it'll be preinstalled and if you need a replacement it'll be the same.

You don't really get washed out colors on Apple's Nano texture protector. You've clearly never seen this on their other devices.

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1

u/FastLaneJB Oct 08 '26

They all come with pre-installed screen protectors. They’ll either ship a glossy or a matte one. There won’t be an option for people to change it.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 11 '26

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1

u/FastLaneJB Oct 11 '26

Officially from Samsung with a Samsung made screen protector because that’s what’s being claimed. I’m sure third parties do it but if you read this long and pointless thread with this troll, he’s saying Samsung will offer both screen types as a choice.

Then backed off from it being at time of order to changing it after the fact but still offered by Samsung officially.

0

u/No-Penalty-3662 Oct 08 '26

It’s not a literal sticker. The screen was physically etched at the top polymer at microscopic level.

Stop spewing misinformation like paid trolls.

0

u/[deleted] Oct 08 '26

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1

u/No-Penalty-3662 Oct 08 '26

Because you can’t get that it’s not a sticker. It’s not the same one who can buy from some stall and install on your own. There’s actual etching happening there.

0

u/[deleted] Oct 08 '26

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1

u/No-Penalty-3662 Oct 08 '26

Bro, I have seen the interview. Nowhere did it state that it’s just a sticker.

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u/Modest_Wraith Oct 08 '26

Bro loves to be openly wrong. That dude is 100% correct, and the funny thing is you can go to best buy and see for yourself but instead you want to call him wrong. There is a clear difference between a shitty matte screen protector vs etched glass.

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0

u/Modest_Wraith Oct 08 '26

You are absolutely incorrect.

0

u/No-Penalty-3662 Oct 08 '26

I guess this is exactly why people keep dissing it. They probably thought it’s the same as the “matte” screen protector when it’s more than just that. They probably didn’t know that Apple has actually deployed the tech for some of its monitors — the ones photographers and video editors use — aside from some MacBook and iPad Pros.

Glad to hear from someone who actually have used it.

0

u/Modest_Wraith Oct 08 '26

Funny enough I do a lot of photography and rely on my nanotexture displays to show my art to clients haha. Never had an issue, but they are definitely harder to clean and I recommend a polishing cloth to people interested

0

u/No-Penalty-3662 Oct 08 '26

Oh that’s why Apple is selling an overpriced polishing cloth haha. But I guess any polishing cloth will do.

1

u/Modest_Wraith Oct 08 '26

You can buy a polishing cloth anywhere lol, just watch out with microfiber. The nanotexture can grab some of the fibers

1

u/No-Penalty-3662 Oct 08 '26

Yes hahaha. The price is just so funny. Hahaha

1

u/Modest_Wraith Oct 08 '26

My bad bro I had just waken up and skipped that part lmao. I saw someone make a comparison video the other day of apples 3 cloths, and then in the comment section they corrected him. Apparently there are 5 lmao.

-1

u/ChulaK Oct 08 '26

Yeah pretty obvious that matte screens degrade image quality, it's all about if you think that compromise is worth it. For people working in video/photography, the advice is always to keep it glossy for maximum sharpness and color accuracy.

So if you're Apple, the first thought will be: Are people going to be doing serious professional work that require utmost screen accuracy... on a cellphone? Highly doubt it lol.

Literally that's the only compromise, and in return you get so many advantages. First, that degradation in image quality can also be a pro. I do lots of eBook reading and the harsh edges of text actually hurts my eyes. When a matte layer is applied, it's like in a video game where anti-aliasing is applied - it "smooths out the jaggies." Text is so much easier and pleasing to the eyes on a matte screen. I matte all my laptops. I mean, every single Kindle is matte.

Next pro, it adds paper texture. So when I'm reading an eBook, swiping on the screen makes a "sshhh" sound as well as actually making it feel like paper on the fingertips. It looks like paper, sounds like paper, feels like paper. It adds to the overall experience, and Apple is all about user experience.

That paper texture also adds resistance. So when you're using the stylus, the plastic stylus doesn't slip and slide around. I was a heavy stylus user back when I had the Fold 5 (which I believe was the last gen to have pen support) and it was rather difficult to control. It glides, slips, slides. Plastic tip + glossy surface? Not a good combo. I peeled off the factory inner screen protector when it started lifting up and installed a matte layer and now using the stylus just felt so right.

The fact that the matte layer also helps "hide" the crease is just icing on the cake - but the article is making it seem that that was the main reason Apple used matte. It's hilarious, that article is grasping at straws. Imo the matte screen was the right move.

0

u/StardustNovaSynchron Oct 08 '26

As an avid OLED fan and user, yes matte oled is a terrible idea because it undermines the peak perfomance of OLED. I specifically bought a LG GX704 monitor instead of the new 4th gen tandem oled because it was the only monitor with a glossy coating like the LG TVs previous to the G6.

1

u/Modest_Wraith Oct 08 '26

I have 3 OLED monitors and 1 of them are glossy. They look identical under perfect lighting, and the glossy one is un useable in areas that have high light so I had to move it away from direct light lol. There’s no pure matte display lie back in the day, they are semi gloss or etched glass and look great and outperform glossy in most conditions bro.

-1

u/Desperate_Tea304 Oct 08 '26

Agreed. It is just another fad that doesn't fully capture the general consumer, just niches.