Samsung Electronics has reduced the thickness and weight of its 8th generation Galaxy foldable phones while improving screen creases, durability, and usage time by utilizing titanium materials and silicon-carbon batteries. The company has redesigned the display, hinge, battery, and charging structure to address the persistent weaknesses of foldable phones.
Moon Seong-hoon, head of hardware at Samsung's MX division, explained the hardware innovations of the 8th generation Galaxy foldables during a press briefing in London on July 23. He stated, "Samsung does not innovate merely to showcase new technology; we start from understanding how customers actually use the product and what experiences they expect."
Analysis of user feedback collected over seven generations identified key areas for improvement in foldable phones, including screen creases, battery life, charging speed, and durability. Moon noted, "The true challenge was to incorporate a larger, more immersive display, a thinner and lighter design with strong durability, and ultra-level performance that leverages the advantages of foldables into a single product."
The most notable new technology is 'Flex Titanium,' which combines a titanium plate supporting the bottom of the display module with a titanium alloy film placed just below the panel. The plate uses grade 4 titanium, the strongest among commercially pure titanium, with a precise lattice pattern. This structure maintains titanium's strength while providing the necessary flexibility in the folding area.
While the previous Galaxy Z Fold7 also featured a titanium plate, this new model enhances the lattice structure and introduces the titanium alloy film. This film, which replaces traditional plastic, supports the folding screen from below, reducing sagging and minimizing creases. Moon stated, "The combination of the plate and alloy film has improved the folding experience and durability compared to previous models."
The titanium alloy film is processed to about one-third the thickness of a human hair and is designed to withstand repetitive movements. Samsung has reduced the thickness of the display module by over 10% using this innovative material. The additional internal space has been utilized for increased battery capacity, enhanced heat dissipation design, and placement of high-performance cameras.
Moon emphasized, "Reducing the product thickness by 0.1mm is not achievable by simply changing one component; it requires a comprehensive consideration of all elements, including the display, heat-dissipation materials, reinforcements, and battery." He noted that while the slimming of the display module significantly contributed, the entire product was redesigned at a system level.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is the thinnest foldable phone ever at 4.1mm when opened, while the Galaxy Z Fold8 is highlighted as the lightest foldable at 210g.
User experience when opening and closing the foldable phone has also been improved. Adjustments to the hinge and the magnetic structure on both sides, along with a diagonal design on the product's corners, make it easier to unfold. The screen features an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare and make creases less visible.
For the first time in Galaxy smartphones, a silicon-carbon composite anode material has been introduced in the battery. This material has already been used in some products in China. It can increase energy density within the same volume, but stability is crucial due to the expansion and contraction of silicon during charging and discharging. Samsung has redesigned the entire battery system, including the anode, cathode, electrolyte, and separator.
Moon stated, "The most important factors in batteries are safety, stability, and long-term usability. Improving only the silicon-carbon anode is not sufficient; we needed to find the optimal combination of all components and validate it in various real-world conditions."
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra features a 5000mAh battery while maintaining a slim design. Both the Fold8 Ultra and Fold8 are the first foldable phones to support 45W fast charging. This method independently controls two battery charging paths to increase speed while reducing heat, allowing the Fold8 Ultra to charge up to 67% in just 30 minutes.
Durability testing has also been enhanced to reflect real-world usage conditions. Samsung has conducted over 100 verification tests, examining drop impacts from various angles, repeated folding, pressure and shock exposure, sweat and moisture exposure, and the intrusion of foreign substances of different sizes and pressures.
Moon concluded, "If performance deteriorates and users feel uneasy over time, that is not true innovation. I believe the durability of this product has significantly improved through testing that reflects real-world conditions."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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