Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7’s screen durability blows past the Fold 6

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is not just light and slim; it’s also more durable. Samsung’s new Armor FlexHinge, featuring a multi-rail structure, helps reduce the display crease, while a titanium frame under the display improves its strength and rigidity. Typically, the inner folding screen is the most delicate component on a foldable phone. But Samsung’s display arm claims some serious improvements with the Z Fold 7 this year.

In a press release, Samsung Display claims the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s bigger 8-inch folding display survived 500,000 folds in a durability test conducted by Bureau Veritas — a global testing, inspection, and certification company — over 13 days at room temperature (25°C). That translates to around 10 years of use for the average person, who folds their phone about 100 times a day. And six years for heavy users who fold their device more than 200 times a day.

For comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 6‘s display was tested to work reliably at 200,000 folds, meaning it will last about five years for an average user. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 brings a 2.5x jump on this front in just one year and improves upon one of the major weaknesses of book-style foldables.

Going forward, Samsung is even raising its internal durability testing standard to 500,000 folds.

The hidden upgrades that make the Z Fold 7’s display more durable

Samsung claims it achieved this durability improvement by using a new shock-resistant structure, “inspired by the design principles of bulletproof glass.” It also used a 50% thicker Ultra Thin Glass and a new high-elastic adhesive to hold each OLED panel layer together, which “over four times the recovery performance” of the previous adhesive.

As for the titanium frame under the display, Samsung says it helps with rigidity, while a new flattening structure helps distribute shocks more evenly. And since titanium is lighter and thinner than other similar materials, it helps keep the Z Fold 7 both slim and lightweight.

Given the durability concerns surrounding folding screens and how they don’t age well in daily use, Samsung’s latest improvement should go a long way in boosting user confidence and extending the device’s lifespan.