Samsung Electronics said on the 9th that, to make the Galaxy Z Fold 8 lighter, its developers reexamined more than 270 parts and more than 180 kinds of auxiliary materials.
According to Samsung Electronics, the Galaxy Fold, first released in 2019 at 276g, kept getting lighter through the Z Fold 5 (253g), Z Fold 6 (239g), and Z Fold 7 (215g). The Z Fold 8 reduced its weight to 201g.
Samsung Electronics said that, in a foldable where countless parts are highly integrated, it had to review the entire product to shave off even a few more grams. It reexamined not only key components such as the display, hinge, and camera, but also the circuit board, antenna, brackets, tape, and fasteners.
The circuit board cut unnecessary circuits and components, and the antenna was also redesigned to reduce unnecessary overlap and interference with surrounding parts, making more efficient use of the limited internal space. Of the roughly more than 180 kinds of auxiliary materials, about 15 were eliminated, and where the roles of multiple auxiliary materials could be combined, the structures were integrated. Some auxiliary materials were reduced in weight down to 0.001g units.
Samsung Electronics added that it processed materials thinner and designed strength and structure more precisely within the limited space. A representative example is the Titanium Alloy Film applied to the display. This alloy film is processed as thin as tens of micrometers, about one-third the thickness of a human hair. The metal plate applied to the display seating surface also requires a high level of precision machining technology. Some metal plates are processed to about 0.2 mm, with the thinnest areas at 0.15 mm.
Samsung Electronics also applied Advanced Armor Aluminum to the product exterior. It is a material to secure the rigidity and reliability required of the product even with a thin, lightweight structure. The thinner the product, the more important it becomes to dissipate heat efficiently in the limited internal space, and Samsung Electronics said it applied Graphite with improved thermal performance.
Samsung Electronics said, "The reason we focused on reducing weight and space was not simply to make a lighter product," adding, "It was to use the weight and space we secured to improve performance that users actually feel, such as battery, camera, and heat dissipation."
The Z Fold 7's battery capacity is 4,400 mAh, while the Z Fold 8 Ultra expanded its battery capacity to 5,000 mAh, increasing battery weight by about 6g. Samsung Electronics said that instead of cutting 6g at once from one large component, it looked again at materials, structures, circuits, mounting, and even small auxiliary materials to shave off weight little by little throughout the product. It also explained that by reducing unnecessary overlaps between the display, circuits, antennas, and surrounding parts and improving mounting efficiency, it secured space for a larger battery and enhanced heat dissipation and camera systems.
Samsung Electronics emphasized, "As a result, we were able to enhance performance by applying a 200-megapixel main camera and the first 50MP ultrawide camera in a foldable to the Z Fold 8 Ultra."