Smartphones with displays capable of repairing themselves could start appearing on the market by 2028, according to analyst firm CCS Insight.

CCS Insight predicts that smartphone makers will begin producing smartphones with “self-healing” displays within five years in its roundup of top tech predictions for 2024 and beyond. It could be accomplished by incorporating a “nano coating” on the surface of the display that, if scratched, creates a new material that reacts with air and fills in the imperfection.

In a call earlier this week, Wood said that it is not science fiction. In my opinion, the biggest challenge is setting expectations correctly.”

Since several years ago, companies have been talking about smartphone display technology that can be self-repaired.

As far back as 2013, LG, a South Korean consumer electronics giant, advertised self-healing technology on its smartphones. It released a smartphone called the G Flex with a vertically curved screen and a “self-healing” back cover. There was no explanation of how exactly the technology worked at the time.

A folding iPhone with a self-repairing display cover was also previously patent-pending by Apple.

The technology has yet to be integrated into a commercially successful handset. It is also difficult to launch such phones on a mass scale due to a few barriers.

In order to identify new innovations in smartphone screens, companies have to invest heavily in research and development. Furthermore, large volumes of cash are necessary to market and sell the phones, as well as to inform consumers about the level of damage that can be repaired without any manual intervention.