Deep inside Samsung Display's headquarters in South Korea, about 20 miles from Seoul, rows of machines run around the clock folding and unfolding phone display panels. The equipment subjects each panel to 500,000 folding cycles. It also exposes them to temperatures ranging from negative 20 degrees to 60 degrees Celsius. Eight camera angles monitor what happens inside each machine. The footage is recorded and can detect issues such as the display lifting off the device frame.
On Tuesday, Samsung unveiled Flex Titanium, a new display technology for its upcoming Galaxy foldable phones, including the Z Fold 8. According to CNET, which was among the first outside visitors allowed into the high-security testing lab, the technology combines a titanium-alloy film with a titanium plate to create a thinner and more durable display structure designed to better withstand drops and other impacts.
Samsung says it spent about three years developing the Flex Titanium technology while examining customer feedback across seven generations of its foldable phones.
"We have to understand user behavior and various display challenges like dropping or pressure with a large object or a tiny object," said Byung Duk Yang, Samsung's executive vice president. "Because of that, we have developed a very comprehensive and sophisticated evaluation method to understand user behavior in the real world."
The push for thinner displays comes as Samsung continues to slim down its foldable lineup. Last year's Galaxy Z Fold 7 measures 4.2mm when open. Samsung Display designs and manufactures screens not only for Samsung Electronics but also for competitors including Apple. The company has become one of the leading developers of flexible and advanced display technology in the industry.
Beyond the Flex Titanium announcement, CNET also got a preview of concept displays mounted inside the same facility. One concept, called the Flex S, opens and closes in a Z shape and expands to a tablet-sized display. Another prototype, called the Out Foldable, works like a reverse book-style foldable, placing both screens on the exterior and unfolding into a wider, mini-tablet-like layout. A third concept, the Flex Slidable, rolls out to a wider display.
Samsung did not share specifications for any of the concept displays. The company is expected to unveil the Galaxy Z 8 series at an upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event.
