Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 could be a lot tougher than the Galaxy Fold

The Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 could have a tougher screen than the Galaxy Fold, above (Image credit: TechRadar)

The Samsung Galaxy Fold is even more fragile than most smartphones, but Samsung looks set to work on that for the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, as there’s growing evidence that it will use a new, tougher screen type.

LetsGoDigital has spotted three recent trademark applications from Samsung relating to 'Ultra Thin Glass'. These screens – as the name suggests – are incredibly thin, coming in at under 100 micrometers thick, which puts them in line with the thickness of a human hair.

More importantly though they're also very scratch-resistant, especially compared to the polyimide plastic used for the original Galaxy Fold's screen.

While these trademark applications don’t mention the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, they do mention that Ultra Thin Glass (also known as UTG) can be used for smartphone screens, and this isn’t the first we’ve heard of this tech.

Back in October it was reported that Samsung might use UTG in the Galaxy Fold 2, so these trademark applications are more evidence of that.

But while its use would likely lead to a hardier handset, there is a potential downside to UTG, in that it reportedly costs more to make. Yet despite this, current price rumors – while disagreeing on the exact price – all suggest the Fold 2 will be cheaper than the original Galaxy Fold.

How or if Samsung will manage that is unclear, but we should have a better idea soon, as the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 might be announced on February 18, alongside the Samsung Galaxy S11.

James Rogerson

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.