LITILIT says femtosecond lasers could help manufacturers produce crack-resistant displays and delicate electronic components as foldable devices push production tolerances closer to their limits.
As Apple prepares for what is expected to be its first foldable iPhone, attention is shifting from design to durability.
Foldable devices create major manufacturing challenges. They combine ultra-thin glass, flexible displays, compact circuit boards, ceramics and semiconductor components. Manufacturers must produce each part with extreme precision. Even a microscopic defect can become a weak point after repeated folding.
According to femtosecond laser manufacturer LITILIT, these challenges will become more important as smartphones get thinner and their internal components become more tightly packed.
Foldable Devices Leave Little Room for Error
Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone on September 9, according to the release.
The launch could put renewed attention on how manufacturers process fragile components without causing cracks, rough edges or heat damage.
One previous Apple patent cited by LITILIT describes locally thinned glass measuring just 10 to 50 microns around the folding area.
Producing glass at that thickness requires extraordinary precision. Manufacturers need to avoid microscopic cracks that could expand after thousands of folds.
The flexible plastic layer underneath the display creates a similar challenge. Manufacturers need clean edges because rough or heat-damaged sections can eventually develop into tears.
Nikolajus Gavrilinas, CEO and co-founder of LITILIT, said small imperfections can quickly become structural problems.
“In consumer electronics, even a tiny defect can turn into a crack that makes the whole component unusable.”
Why Femtosecond Lasers Matter
Femtosecond lasers use pulses that last only a quadrillionth of a second.
Their speed gives manufacturers an important advantage. The laser can remove material before significant heat reaches the surrounding area.
This allows factories to process delicate components close to active circuitry while limiting thermal damage.
Gavrilinas said the technology becomes increasingly valuable as electronics shrink.
“Femtosecond lasers solve these problems by using pulses so short that material evaporates before heat can spread,” he said.
The process can also reduce debris that could damage circuitry or cause short circuits.
The technology has applications beyond foldable phones. Manufacturers already need high precision when producing smartphones, wearables, semiconductors and other advanced electronics.
OLED Displays Create Another Manufacturing Challenge
OLED displays add another level of complexity.
Each panel contains several layers. These can include organic light-emitting materials, circuitry and protective components.
According to LITILIT, even a few microns of heat damage can affect these delicate structures.
Femtosecond lasers allow manufacturers to work on OLED components while reducing heat transfer to surrounding areas.
That capability could become increasingly important as manufacturers use OLED technology across foldable smartphones, smartwatches and other premium devices.
Manufacturing the Lasers at Scale Is the Next Test
Femtosecond lasers can solve precision problems, but manufacturers also need to produce the lasers themselves at scale.
The industry traditionally relies on highly skilled specialists and complex production processes. That can make laser manufacturing expensive and time-consuming.
Meanwhile, demand continues to grow across consumer electronics, semiconductors and data-centre equipment.
LITILIT says it designed its systems to address this problem.
The company uses a modular architecture, fewer components and higher levels of automation. It says this approach allows faster production and easier factory integration.
LITILIT also reports that its architecture achieves around 20% electrical-to-optical femtosecond efficiency.
Its co-founders developed the patented technology with the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology in Vilnius.
LITILIT Builds High-Capacity Laser Factory
LITILIT began building a new high-capacity femtosecond laser factory in June 2026.
The company plans to manufacture around 1,000 lasers during its first year of production.
Within several years, it aims to reach annual capacity of approximately 3,000 femtosecond lasers. LITILIT says this would put the facility on track for one of the industry’s highest production capacities.
The company also plans to expand manufacturing into other countries through international partnerships.
The expansion reflects a wider trend in advanced manufacturing. Devices continue to become thinner, smaller and more complex. As a result, the machinery producing their components also needs greater precision.
Precision Manufacturing Could Define the Foldable Market
Foldable phones may look like a design innovation, but their success also depends heavily on materials science and manufacturing.
Ultra-thin glass must flex without cracking. OLED displays must survive repeated movement. Compact circuitry must remain reliable inside increasingly tight spaces.
These requirements leave manufacturers with little room for error.
For Apple and other smartphone makers, future foldable devices may therefore depend as much on manufacturing technology as they do on software, hinges or industrial design.
Femtosecond lasers could become an important part of that production infrastructure.
As consumer electronics become smaller and more sophisticated, precision manufacturing is moving from the background to the centre of product innovation.
About LITILIT
LITILIT is a femtosecond laser company headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The company develops and manufactures lasers using patented technology. Its systems aim to simplify industrial integration and support large-scale production.
LITILIT targets advanced manufacturing applications across consumer electronics, semiconductors and other precision industries.
The company is also developing a large-scale production facility in Vilnius. It plans to replicate the model in other regions through international partnerships.
