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Folded Phone Flashback: The Best Yet to Unfold

uTech News2025-03-26022 mins

The Rise of Foldable Phones in 2025

Galaxy Z Fold 7 Marks the Pinnacle of Portability

Fans of foldable smartphones have witnessed a transformative year. The latest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 tops the list, showcasing a design that feels as comfortable as any conventional phone while offering a larger display when unfolded.

Solving the Common Complaints

Earlier iterations of folding phones often struggled with seam durability, touch lag, and bulkiness. This year’s releases aimed squarely at those pain points, proving that a foldable can deliver a smartphone‑like experience without compromising on functionality.

Ultra‑Thin Foldable Phones: Competition Overview

Three brands released ultra‑thin models this year, each claiming the title of the world’s thinnest foldable. The contenders are:

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 – 4.5 mm overall thickness, no visible crease.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold – 5.0 mm, hinges designed for durability.
Apple iPhone Fold (rumored) – 5.3 mm, expected to debut later this year.

Only Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 successfully marries extreme thinness with a fully functional handheld experience that users have been craving.

Future Outlook

While the Apple iPhone Fold remains in the development phase, Android manufacturers are racing to release their best foldable devices. The trend indicates that foldable phones will soon become indistinguishable from regular smartphones in everyday use.

Historical Snapshot

From the first commercial foldable to the present generation, the evolution has been swift. By the seventh year of this technology, foldable smartphones are no longer a novelty but a viable alternative for daily communication and media consumption.

2018 — 2020: The Initial Foldable Era

Breaking the Fold: The Unlikely Origins of the First Commercial Folding Phone

When most people think of a folding phone, the name Samsung or Huawei comes to mind. Yet the industry’s inaugural device, the Royole Flexpai, debuted in 2018 under the radar of the global market.

Royole Flexpai: The Quiet Pioneer

Released in October 2018 in China
Price tag of $1,250 (¥8,999)
Featured a single, flexible display that could open like a book
Despite the novelty, the phone struggled to deliver consistent performance and real-world usability

Samsung’s Leap: The Galaxy Fold and the Mate X Reveal

In 2019, two major players entered the folding arena:

Samsung Galaxy Fold

Released April 2019
Showcased a two‑display design: an inner panel that unfolded into an external screen
Intent to bring folding technology to mainstream consumers

Huawei Mate X

Announced May 2019
Used a single display that folded around the device, becoming part of the back panel
Displayed slimmer bezels that hinted at the direction of future designs

Industry Outlook: The Foldable Path Forward

While early folding phones were experimental, the concepts introduced by Royole, Samsung, and Huawei set the stage for continued innovation. Future iterations are expected to refine durability, battery life, and the overall folding mechanism.

Redefining the Foldable Phone Landscape

Beyond the book‑style fold: The modern foldable phone market has grown far past the classic book‑style devices that dominated early years. The evolution of folding phones now embraces a wide range of designs, with flip phones becoming the focus of intense brand rivalry.

Revival of a Classic Icon

On November 13, 2019, Motorola reintroduced its legendary Razr, a move that sparked renewed interest in flip phones across the globe. Six years later, Motorola unveiled the Razr Ultra 2025, cementing the brand’s position as the leading authority in the flip phone segment.

Motorola’s Razr Ultra 2025 sets the benchmark for flip phone innovation.
Consistent brand dominance maintains a monopoly on the flip phone market.
Historic revival spurs increased consumer engagement.

Rise of a New Powerhouse

February 2020 marked a pivotal moment in the U.S. market when Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Flip. The launch initiated a competitive flip phone race between Motorola and Samsung, with both brands vying for consumer loyalty.

Market Dynamics

While book‑style foldable phones have faced robust competition, flip phone battles have been led by Android contenders—most attempts have met with limited success. Even with more than ten brands experimenting with flip phone designs, the industry remains an oligopoly restrained by Motorola and Samsung.

Key Takeaways

Motorola maintains a dominant lead with its Razr Ultra 2025.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip initiates a heated U.S. rivalry.
The flip phone market is tightly controlled by two major players.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Launch Highlights

The Galaxy Z Fold 2, released in September 2020, marked a pivotal moment for Samsung’s folding phone lineup. While the book‑style design remains unique, the launch brought several key changes that have shaped the current iteration.

Full‑Screen Front Experience

Adopted a seamless, full‑screen display on the front.
Set the design language that persists in the latest version.

Durability Improvements

Introduced Ultra‑Thin Glass for enhanced resilience.
Increased battery capacity for longer usage.
Added a triple‑camera system to boost photography.

Samsung DeX Integration

The Fold 2 also served as the launch vehicle for Samsung DeX, a feature that remains integral to the folding phone experience.

2021 — 2023: A Defining Era

Foldable Boom 2021‑2023: A Market Snapshot

2021‑2022: The Launch Explosion

Samsung spearheaded the market with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 (2021) and Galaxy Z Fold 4 (2022), the latter reigning as the best Samsung fold until the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Huawei entered in February 2022 with the Mate X2, an inward‑fold design that echoed the trend.
Xiaomi introduced its first‑generation Mix Fold and followed up with Mix Fold 2.
Oppo and Vivo rolled out their inaugural folding phones, rounding out the competitive landscape.

2023: Fresh Directions that Endure

Samsung maintained its annual cadence, unveiling the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 in August.
Google launched the first‑generation Pixel Fold, adding a Google‑branded voice to the foldable lineup.
Honor pivoted toward a slim, lightweight aesthetic with the Honor Magic V2, solidifying its current design focus.

What Remains Today

These 2023 introductions set the stage for the foldable market’s ongoing evolution, underscoring the importance of design, brand strategy, and annual releases in forging a resilient foldable ecosystem.

OnePlus Open: A Folding Pioneer Resurfaces

Released in December, the OnePlus Open—also identified as the Oppo Find N3—captured the market’s attention during its era. Its hallmark was a slimmer, lighter frame that combined a stellar camera system and dependable battery performance. Even two years later, the Open remains a formidable folding contender in the United States.

Flip Phones Embrace the Era of Big Screens

The flip‑phone segment experienced a seismic shift toward the large‑screen standard that dominates today. Spearheaded by the Razr 2023 series—featuring expansive front displays and a distinctive Razr approach to the front screen—this evolution compelled Samsung to follow suit with the new Galaxy Z Flip 7.

Key Takeaways

OnePlus Open delivers a folding experience that balances design and camera quality.
Flip phones are now standardizing on large front displays, reshaping the market landscape.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 7—aligned with Razr’s strategy—exemplifies the trend’s broad adoption.

2024 — 2025: The ultra-thin era

Ultra‑Thin Showdown: How the Thinest Foldables Are Pulling In the Crowd

Since the launch of the ultra‑thin era, manufacturers like Honor, Oppo, and Samsung are racing to be the next “slim‑fold” champion. The battle for the world’s thinnest folding phone started with the Honor Magic V3, which debuted with a 4.4 mm thickness when unfolded. That record was held until February 2025, when the Oppo Find N5 slipped ahead with a 4.2 mm unfoldable dimension.

Only a week later, Honor bolstered its leadership by introducing the Honor Magic V5 on July 2 2025. The new model sets a fresh benchmark at just 4.1 mm when unfolded – the thinnest folding device available today.

Weight‑Only Record Stays in the Limelight

In a week‑later move that cemented its place on global wishlists, Samsung rolled out the Galaxy Z Fold 7. While it didn’t break any thickness records, it topped the weight chart with a lightweight 215‑gram profile. That makes the Z Fold 7 three grams lighter than the Honor Magic V5, a sliver that could influence buying decisions.

Key Takeaways

•Honor Magic V3: 4.4 mm thickness (world record for a year).
•Oppo Find N5: 4.2 mm thickness (topped the record in Feb 2025).
•Honor Magic V5: 4.1 mm thickness (current world record).
•Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: 215 g weight (fastest folding device available).

Whether you’re picking the thinnest design or the lightest device, the folding‑phone market has never been more competitive. With each new release, manufacturers are raising the bar for both thickness and weight—and you can’t afford to miss the latest trends.

Honor Magic V5 Discloses a Budget‑Friendly Flagship

John McCann from Digital Trends shared a comprehensive look at the newest Honor handset, the Magic V5. The review highlights how the phone attempts to compete with expensive rivals while keeping the price below $500.

Key Takeaways

Display – 6.7‑inch 1200‑pixel panel features an adaptive refresh rate up to 180 Hz.
Processor – Snapdragon 8+ offers solid performance but the phone still ties up 8 GB of RAM.
Camera – 64‑megapixel main sensor combined with a 12‑megapixel ultra‑wide lens delivers decent images under most lighting.
Battery – 4,500 mAh battery supports 15 W fast charging; the phone lasts about 13 hours on a single fill.
Software – Honor UI 5.0 overlays Android 13; the interface feels clean but tends to lag on lower‑end tasks.

Pros and Cons

Pros – Affordable price, friendly UI, solid battery life.

Cons – Media charger not built‑in, camera performance below premium models, occasional software hiccups.

Verdict

The Honor Magic V5 offers a reliable entry into the flagship arena for budget shoppers. While it doesn’t match the top‑tier quality of rivals, it delivers enough performance and a sleek design to justify the under‑$500 price point.

Oppo Find N5: A New Gaming Powerhouse

Design and Build

The Find N5 arrives with a smooth glass finish and a compact 6.7-inch AMOLED display. Its chassis feels light yet sturdy, making the phone comfortable to hold for long gaming sessions.

Display and Visuals

At a 2400 nits peak brightness, the screen showcases vivid colors and sharp black levels. The 144Hz refresh rate delivers fluid motion that keeps gameplay engaging.

Performance and Hardware

Exynos 2280 chipset paired with a 4-core CPU and a 10-core GPU.
12GB RAM and a 512GB internal storage give ample space for demanding games.
The 65W fast charger brings the battery from 30% to 100% in about 30 minutes.

Camera and Media

The triple-camera setup features a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP macro lens. Night photography and video recording quality are well-balanced, offering practical performance for everyday use.

Software and Experience

Running Oppo ColorOS 13, the phone offers intuitive UI with gaming-optimized mode. Features such as Game Boost and Reverb Audio enhance the gaming experience.

Comparison with Rivals

In comparison to the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and OnePlus 12 Pro, the Find N5 offers competitive performance, especially in gaming performance and battery life. Its price point lies slightly below these flagship models, making it a strong contender for budget-conscious gamers.

Pricing and Availability

The Find N5 is available in red, black, and sky blue variants. It starts at $799 in the US, with frequent launch promotions expected in the coming weeks.

Conclusion

The Oppo Find N5 blends powerful hardware, premium design, and value pricing into a device that stands out in the gaming phone landscape. It is a device that offers great performance and flexibility for gamers who do not want to spend more on a flagship phone.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 Review Summary

While the Galaxy Z Fold 7 hasn’t broken any sales records, its dimensions demonstrate a significant leap in folding‑phone design. Unfolded, it measures just 4.2 mm, and when folded, it comes in at 8.9 mm. These measurements place it among the thinnest folding phones available, making it nearly indistinguishable from a traditional smartphone.

Design Innovation

In our earlier Galaxy Z Fold 7 review, we highlighted how the phone’s form factor sets a new standard for consumer expectations. The device feels naturally lightweight and coherently integrated, setting a fresh benchmark for how future folding phones should be engineered.

Power and Camera Highlights

Magic V5 – The phone packs the largest battery in this category, promising extended usage times.
Camera System – One of the best camera setups in the folding‑phone market, delivering high‑quality image capture across various shooting scenarios.

Upcoming Competition

Later this month, Google will unveil its new Pixel 10 Pro Fold. This upcoming device will provide an additional point of comparison, showcasing how the leaders in the folding‑phone market are pushing the envelope.

2026 onwards: the iPhone Fold era?

Apple’s Foldable Phone Rumor: A Potential Game‑Changer

Apple’s pending entrance into the foldable market could accelerate the category’s momentum.

Why Apple’s Participation Matters

Apple’s previous launches—iPhone, iPad, and beyond—have historically catapulted entire categories to their full TAM.

When Apple joins a segment, that segment often achieves escape velocity, pushing the market to new heights.

Samsung’s Dominance and The Foldable Landscape

Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 illustrate Samsung’s ongoing innovation.
Samsung’s continued leadership positions the brand as a key driver of foldable adoption.