Titanium is suddenly the latest go-to metal for phone makers, with the likes of Samsung and Apple using it to try and reduce the weight of their phones without compromising durability. But while that change is more about fashion, Samsung's upcoming foldables could utilize the metal in an interesting new way.
According to a report from The Elec, Samsung is set to offer re-engineered hinges in the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy G Fold with — you guessed it — titanium. Or at least, the hinge backplate will apparently utilize the metal even if the hinge itself does not.
If that sounds familiar it's because this particular rumor also popped up last year, in the run-up to the Galaxy Z Fold 6's launch. But that never happened, with Samsung instead releasing a foldable that stuck with the carbon fiber-reinforced plastic of previous generations.
However the Galaxy Z Fold SE, which is said to be the template for the Z Fold 7, did make this change.
So what are the benefits of building the hinge with titanium, you might ask? Well, the obvious benefit is that titanium is a lighter material than something like stainless steel but still maintains its durability. Similarly you need less of it, and The Elec claims that reducing thickness is the main reason behind the material change.
Stylus support may also play a part
It's also been suggested that titanium may not interfere with the foldable's digitizer layer, which is needed for stylus support. That was a problem with stainless steel, and the driving reason behind switching to CFRP in the first place.
However, since the Z Fold SE lacked a digitizer layer, we haven't actually seen this in action yet.
The Elec claims that Samsung has been working on a version of the Z Fold that offers stylus support without a digitizer layer.
The Galaxy Z Flip series of phones, which don't support a stylus, have always stuck with the stainless steel plate. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 will apparently be no exception to that.
The Elec claims that Samsung has been working on a version of the Z Fold that offers stylus support without a digitizer layer. Without it, the material in the backplate is of much less consequence. But sadly this new technology reportedly isn't ready to be released with either the Z Fold 7 or the G Fold.
The other benefit to removing the digitizer layer, as we saw with the Z Fold SE, is that it would reduce the overall thickness of a folded Galaxy Z Fold by 0.6mm. Which isn't a lot, but it would add up when you combine it with other thickness-reducing measures.
We'll likely find out more later this year, when Samsung unveils its latest series of foldable devices. Until then you can check out our official Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Samsung Galaxy G Fold hubs for all the latest news and rumors for both devices.
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