Has Samsung Display's New Foldable OLED Panel Passed the 500,000-Fold Durability Test?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Samsung Display achieved a milestone with its foldable OLED panel passing a 500,000-fold durability test.
- The new panel exceeds previous durability standards, enhancing consumer confidence.
- Innovations in shock-resistant design and materials contributed to this advancement.
- Preorders for Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 set new records in South Korea.
- The Fold model outsold the Flip model for the first time since launch.
Seoul, July 22 (NationPress) Samsung Display announced on Tuesday that its cutting-edge foldable organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel has successfully withstood a rigorous 500,000-fold durability test, showcasing the company’s significant progress in flexible display technology.
This innovative panel, featured in Samsung Electronics Co.'s newly released Galaxy Z Fold 7 smartphone, maintained full functionality after enduring 500,000 folds over a span of 13 days in a controlled environment at 25°C. These results were verified by the global certification agency Bureau Veritas, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
This achievement exceeds Samsung Display's previous internal benchmark of 200,000 folds, reflecting the company's strong confidence in the long-term durability of its foldable OLED technology.
According to Samsung Display, the 500,000-fold standard equates to over 10 years of typical consumer use and more than six years for heavy users who fold their devices over 200 times a day.
The improved durability is attributed to a newly designed shock-resistant structure inspired by the principles of bulletproof glass.
Samsung has enhanced the thickness of its Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) cover by 50% and implemented a new high-elastic adhesive, improving impact recovery performance by four times compared to previous materials.
"This latest panel not only boosts consumer confidence in foldable OLED durability but also highlights the technological edge that sets Samsung Display apart in the industry," stated Lee Ho-jung, head of the mobile display product planning team at Samsung Display.
In related news, Samsung Electronics reported that preorders for its Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 smartphones have achieved a record high for its foldable Z series models in South Korea.
As of Monday, preorders for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 series, launched on July 9, reached 1.04 million units, surpassing the previous record of 1.02 million set by the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5.
The prior Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 series garnered 910,000 units in preorders.
Sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which folds open like a book, accounted for 60% of total presales, while the clamshell-style Flip 7 constituted 40%.
This marks the first instance where the Fold model has outperformed the Flip model since Samsung Electronics introduced its foldable lineup in 2019.