C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung has announced that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 display can withstand 500,000 folds, double that of the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
- That means the Galaxy Z Fold 7 can endure over 10 years of daily use, assuming about 100 folds a day.
- The fold rating for the Fold 7’s display comes from a test conducted by Bureau Veritas, a global testing and certification company
Samsung Display has finally revealed what we’ve wanted to know for many days — how many folds can the Galaxy Z Fold 7 withstand? Well, it turns out not only is the Fold 7 one of the thinnest foldable phones on the market, but it is also shaping up to be one of the most durable when it comes to folding and unfolding capacity.
According to Samsung Display, the foldable OLED panel used in the Galaxy Z Fold 7 can withstand a whopping 500,000 folds, more than double the durability rating of its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
The fold rating comes from a test conducted by Bureau Veritas, a global testing and certification company, which confirmed that the panel remained fully functional even after 500,000 folding cycles under controlled conditions. Specifically, the panel was folded and unfolded over 13 days at a steady temperature of 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit). That means, in theory, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 should be able to endure over 10 years of daily use with 100 folds a day, or over six years for power users folding and unfolding their device more than 200 times per day.
In comparison, last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 was rated for 200,000 folds, which is pretty much the industry standard for foldable phones. Samsung Display says it has now raised its internal benchmark to 500,000, reflecting a significant leap in the durability of foldable screens.
Samsung Display engineers took inspiration from bulletproof glass while creating the display for the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Bulletproof glass relies on multiple layers of glass and plastic films to absorb and disperse the energy from high-velocity impacts. Similarly, Samsung says it has applied a multi-layer shock-resistant structure to the new foldable OLED panel. Key upgrades in the panel include:
- A 50% thicker outer Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) layer to better absorb external pressure.
- A newly formulated high-elastic adhesive that binds the OLED layers and offers four times the recovery performance compared to previous materials.
- A flattening structure that spreads shock evenly across the display.
- A high-strength titanium plate backing the display.
These changes not only make the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s display more durable but also contribute to its slimmer and lighter design.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
Thinnest, lightest Z Fold to date • More durable design • 200MP primary camera • Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
Thin, light, high-powered, and it folds!
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 offers an 8-inch OLED screen, a 200MP camera, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, and a 4,400mAh battery. The Galaxy AI experience is baked in, offering tools across the camera, Circle to Search, and much more. Best of all, Samsung continues to evolve their fold folding hinge assembly, promising reduced visibility of the crease.
