Understanding the engineering behind Samsung’s latest foldables

Samsung’s foldable journey has now entered its eighth generation, with the Galaxy Z Fold8 series bringing a series of hardware changes aimed at making the form factor thinner, lighter and more capable.

ET Digital has reviewed Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold devices across generations, tracking how the company has evolved the design and engineering of its foldables. With the latest generation, Samsung says it has focused on treating the device as one interconnected system, with changes to the display, hinge, battery, thermal system and internal architecture working together.

You can check out the reviews for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. Our video review for the Z Flip 8 is also live.


Sunghoon Moon, executive vice president and senior executive of the Mobile R&D Office at Samsung’s MX Business, said the company’s approach has been shaped by how users interact with foldables.

“From the beginning, we saw foldables as an opportunity to redefine how people interact with their smartphones,” Moon said. “Through seven generations, we’ve learned how people open, carry, unfold, and rely on their devices.”

Making the foldable thinner

One of the key developments in the latest generation is Samsung’s Flex Titanium technology, which has been designed to provide structural support while allowing the display system to become thinner.

The technology combines a titanium plate beneath the display with a precision-engineered lattice structure and a titanium-alloy film. Samsung says this combination has reduced display module thickness by 10%.

That reduction also creates additional internal space for components such as the battery, thermal system and camera.

The result is a slimmer device with a larger, more immersive display, while Samsung has also worked to reduce the visibility of the crease.

More focus on battery and charging

Samsung has also reworked the battery system in the latest foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra features a 5,000mAh battery using a silicon-carbon anode, which allows for higher energy density within the available space.

The Fold8 Ultra and Fold8 use a dual-path charging architecture designed to distribute power across the battery system.

Samsung says the Fold8 Ultra supports 45W fast charging and can reach 67% charge in 30 minutes.

The changes reflect the engineering challenge of fitting more capability into a foldable without significantly increasing its size. Samsung says its approach has been to develop the display, battery, thermal management and other components together rather than treating them as separate systems.

Building for everyday use

Durability has remained a major part of Samsung’s foldable development. For the latest Galaxy Z series, the company says it conducted more than 100 reliability validation tests covering conditions including drops, repeated folding, pressure, moisture and debris.

“Durability isn’t just about design; it must be proven through testing,” Moon said.

The latest generation therefore represents another step in Samsung’s longer effort to refine the foldable form factor. From the early Z Fold models to the latest Fold8 series, the focus has increasingly shifted towards making a folding smartphone feel more refined and practical for everyday use.

“Everything starts with the user,” Moon said. “Over seven generations, we’ve transformed user insights into innovations in materials, components, and the overall device experience.”

For Samsung, the Galaxy Z Fold8 series brings those learnings together across the hardware, with thinner construction, updated display engineering, battery improvements and durability testing forming part of the company's latest approach to foldable smartphones.