Samsung Foldable Displays Hit 500,000 Folds Durability Mark

Foldable smartphones have come a long way. That said, a common question still lingers: just how durable are they? Samsung Display is aiming to put those concerns to rest with a significant announcement. Samsung‘s latest foldable OLED panel has successfully endured an impressive 500,000-fold durability test. This is a massive leap that promises years of reliable use for those interested in devices like the latest Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Bureau Veritas, a global inspection and certification company, independently verified the test. The results confirmed that the panel remains fully functional after being folded half a million times. To put that into perspective, Samsung Display estimates this is equivalent to over 10 years of daily use for an average user who folds their device around 100 times a day. Even for heavy users, who might fold their phone more than 200 times daily, the panel is proven to last over six years without issue. This 500,000-fold benchmark is 2.5 times higher than Samsung Display’s previous internal standard of 200,000 folds.

500,000-fold benchmark in Samsung’s latest foldable display durability test

So, how did the firm achieve this level of flexural strength? The secret lies in a clever new panel structure, drawing inspiration from the principles of bulletproof glass. Just as bulletproof glass uses multiple layers to absorb and disperse impact, Samsung Display has engineered its foldable panel to do the same. They’ve made the outermost Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) 50% thicker and incorporated a new high-elastic adhesive within the panel layers. This adhesive boasts over four times the recovery performance of previous materials, allowing the panel to significantly absorb external shocks.

A new flattening structure that distributes impact even further enhances this durability. The adoption of a lightweight titanium support plate also helps this. Titanium offers high strength without adding bulk, contributing to a slimmer yet more protected design. In fact, this advanced panel is featured in the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.

The test results mark an important milestone as foldable OLED technology enters its seventh year of commercialization. It’s a sign from Samsung Display that durability should no longer be a limiting factor when considering a foldable smartphone. However, you should still be careful with drops, another major enemy of any screen—and even more so of foldable ones.