Across seven generations, Samsung has helped define the foldable category through advances in display technology, hinge engineering and materials innovation — all driven by a deep understanding of how people use their devices.

To hear how those insights guided the engineering behind Samsung’s latest foldables, Samsung Newsroom sat down with Sunghoon Moon, Executive Vice President and Senior Executive of Mobile R&D Office – Hardware, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics.

 Q. How have seven generations of user insights shaped Samsung’s approach to the latest Galaxy Z Series?

From the beginning, we saw foldables as an opportunity to redefine how people interact with their smartphones — not simply as a new form factor. Through seven generations, we’ve learned how people open, carry, unfold and rely on their devices. Those insights have shaped our engineering priorities and guided each new generation of the Galaxy Z Series.

Over time, three priorities became clear: larger, more immersive displays; thinner and lighter devices without compromising durability; and ultra performance while preserving the unique advantages of the foldable form factor. Delivering all three became the defining engineering challenge behind the latest Galaxy Z Series.

Q. Samsung describes foldable innovation as engineering one connected system. What does that mean in practice?

With foldables, every component is interconnected. Making a device thinner, for example, means redesigning the display, hinge, battery, thermal system and internal architecture together. Rather than optimising individual parts separately, we engineer the entire device as one connected system. This end-to-end engineering philosophy extends from materials and component design to manufacturing, validation and the final product experience — allowing engineering advancements to become improvements people experience every day.

Samsung engineered each of the latest foldables as one connected system to bring about key improvements for users.

Q. The new Galaxy Z Series introduces Flex Titanium technology. What engineering challenges did it solve? 

Our goal was to make foldables thinner and lighter without compromising durability or the viewing experience. That required us to rework the display support structure protecting the ultra-thin OLED panel while preserving the flexibility needed for repeated folding.

Used in demanding industries such as aerospace, titanium offered the strength and resistance against permanent deformation essential for a foldable display. But selecting the material was only the beginning. The real challenge was developing the processing, structural design and manufacturing expertise needed to make titanium suitable for repeated folding.

Flex Titanium technology makes the display thinner and more durable while reducing crease visibility.

Flex Titanium combines two titanium-based elements. The titanium plate beneath the display serves as the primary structural support, helping absorb pressure and impacts from both the front and rear of the device. A precision-engineered lattice structure — created through a hybrid manufacturing process — allows the plate to remain flexible while maintaining structural strength. Beneath the display panel, the titanium-alloy film provides the strength, flexibility and elastic recovery needed to support repeated everyday folding, even at a thickness of just tens of micrometres — roughly one-third the thickness of a human hair.

Flex Titanium technology features an exceptionally thin titanium-alloy film and precision-engineered titanium plate.

Together, these innovations strengthened the display support structure while reducing display module thickness by 10%, creating additional space for the battery, thermal system and camera. For users, that translates into a thinner, lighter device with a flatter display and reduced crease visibility.

Q. How did Samsung reinvent the battery system for the latest Galaxy Z Series?

 Users expect longer battery life, faster charging and a thinner foldable — without compromising safety, stability or long-term reliability. Meeting those expectations required reengineering the battery system, not simply increasing battery capacity.

We introduced a silicon-carbon anode to improve energy density, but the innovation extends beyond the anode. Because silicon-carbon materials are more reactive, maintaining long-term stability under high-voltage conditions meant optimising the entire battery system. Improvements to the display structure also created additional internal space, allowing us to redesign the battery system while preserving a slimmer form factor. As a result, Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra features a 5,000 mAh battery.

The same philosophy shaped charging. Rather than applying a single solution across the line-up, we developed charging architectures tailored to each foldable form factor. Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold8 use a dual-path charging architecture that helps distribute power more efficiently across the battery system, enabling faster, more stable and reliable charging while improving heat management. This supports 45 W fast charging, enabling Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra to reach a 67% charge in 30 minutes. For Galaxy Z Flip8, the charging architecture was separately optimised for the unique spatial and thermal requirements of its compact form factor.

Q. To ensure foldables can withstand years of everyday use, how does Samsung validate durability before bringing a device to market?

For us, durability isn’t just about design — it must be proven through testing. We validated the complete foldable system under conditions that reflect how people use their devices. The latest Galaxy Z Series was subjected to more than 100 reliability validation tests covering real-world conditions including drops, repeated folding, pressure, moisture and debris. Our goal was to understand how the complete device performs in everyday use, identify potential issues before they reach customers and build foldables people can trust.

Q. Looking back at the entire development process, how would you describe Samsung’s approach behind the Galaxy Z Series?

Everything starts with the user. Over seven generations, we’ve transformed user insights into innovations in materials, components and the overall device experience. That philosophy continues to guide the Galaxy Z Series — delivering foldables that are thinner, more durable, more capable and more intuitive year after year.

Over the years, Samsung has transformed user insights into advancements for the Galaxy Z Series.

Samsung Electronics today unveiled new Flex Titanium technology for the next generation of Galaxy foldable devices. Built on seven generations of foldable innovation and engineering expertise, the redesigned display structure utilises structural and material advancements to deliver a more refined viewing experience with enhanced durability and reduced crease visibility. Made possible thanks to Samsung’s accumulated display know-how, Flex Titanium technology integrates two titanium-based components — a titanium-alloy film and a titanium plate — working together to balance slimness, flexibility and strength within the foldable display structure.

“Samsung’s strength in the foldable category comes from connecting user needs with our technologies that deliver tangible benefits in everyday life,” said Sunghoon Moon, Corporate EVP and Senior Executive in charge of the Mobile R&D Office – Hardware, Samsung Electronics. “For the next generation of Galaxy foldables, Samsung is building on years of expertise to bring display innovations into devices that enhance user experiences, anchored by exceptional viewing experiences.”

Building on Years of Foldable Experience

Samsung has played a leading role in advancing mobile display innovation and bringing it to consumers at scale through mobile devices. This legacy includes the widespread adoption of AMOLED displays in 2007 and the evolution of displays into flexible form factors.

Innovative technologies can only reach their full potential and provide meaningful user experiences through continuous refinement in real-world conditions and the foldable category is no exception. Across seven generations of Galaxy foldables, Samsung has listened closely to consumer feedback. This has given the company a deep understanding of what users expect from the category: a larger, more immersive viewing experience with less visible crease — without compromising durability or portability.

To meet these expectations, Samsung had to rethink how foldable displays are constructed by bringing together breakthroughs in technology, materials and mechanical engineering. The result is the latest milestone in foldable display innovation: Flex Titanium technology. By successfully integrating display innovation with device engineering, Samsung will continue to shape the direction of the mobile industry and deliver standout user experiences.

Flex Titanium: Next-Level Viewing

To create a display that provides an immersive viewing experience while maintaining its ability to withstand everyday use, Samsung took a new approach to structural design. This required a material strong enough to withstand external shock, flexible enough to endure repeated folding and thin enough to fit within a refined device structure. Balancing all three factors was essential to advancing foldable displays — and titanium offered the right mix.

Known for its resilience and strength, titanium has been used in some of the most demanding applications, including satellite antennas and the wheels of a Mars rover. While its strength makes titanium a dependable material, it also presents significant engineering challenges when applied to the thin and flexible structure of a foldable display due to its stiffness. Drawing on its expertise, Samsung has integrated titanium into two key components: a titanium-alloy film and a titanium plate.

The titanium-alloy film is a component that supports the display from within, sitting below the OLED panel. Compared with polymer film, it provides 20 times greater mechanical stiffness. A precision rolling process makes the material exceptionally thin — measuring roughly one-third the thickness of an average human hair — enabling a slimmer display panel.

Below this sits a robust titanium plate, a flexible structure that supports the display module from beneath. It allows tighter bonding with the display module by eliminating air gaps between the module and the adhesive on the plate through advanced hole processing technology. This new structure provides more stable support underneath the display when unfolded while retaining the flexibility needed to accommodate repeated folding.

Furthermore, by integrating a high-resolution architecture and next-generation organic materials, the new display delivers ultra-vivid display resolution while reducing power consumption — delivering a dramatic boost in overall power efficiency.

“By introducing sophisticated micro-patterned holes to the folding section of the titanium plate, we have successfully secured flexibility with robust durability,” said Kyung-Jin Yoo, EVP and Head of Mobile Display Product Development Team, Samsung Display. “Combining high-resolution display architecture with new organic materials that maximize power efficiency, we will further strengthen the competitiveness of next-generation Galaxy foldable devices.”

Together, these advancements enable a strong foldable display that maximizes content immersion on a seamless screen and reduces crease visibility — all while keeping it slim. By balancing strength, flexibility and structural stability, Samsung continues to set the bar for foldable displays.

The new Flex Titanium technology will debut with Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy foldable devices. Further details will be unveiled at Galaxy Unpacked.