Foldable phones are thin and light in 2025, so why are these brands bending the truth?
TL;DR A Twitter user has shown that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is thinner than the HONOR Magic V5.
It turns out both HONOR and OPPO measure their foldables without the protective inner screen film.
A closer look at product pages also reveals that some brands don't include these layers when weighing their foldables.
HONOR launched the Magic V5 in China earlier this month, and the company claimed that the white version was the world's thinnest foldable phone at 8.8mm. However, recent events have brought this claim into question.
Veteran leaker Ice Universe made a series of Twitter posts comparing the HONOR Magic V5 to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. The posts strongly suggest that the Samsung foldable is marginally thinner than the supposed world's thinnest foldable. Ice Universe used a paper card, a ball, and a measuring tool to reveal that the Galaxy phone is apparently slimmer.
I switched the positions of two mobile phones during the test, and the results remained the same, which showed that the factors of…
There is no accurate measuring tool, but we can still draw a rigorous conclusion: Galaxy Z Fold7 is the thinnest folding mobile phone in the world.I switched the positions of two mobile phones during the test, and the results remained the same, which showed that the factors of… pic.twitter.com/irlNgKOtH0
— PhoneArt (@UniverseIce) July 15, 2025
It turns out HONOR's website lists a curious measurement method, as it measures its foldable phones without the inner and outer protective screen films. That's a questionable measurement method, as users aren't meant to remove the inner film on foldable phones. This layer is effectively a permanent part of the phone, which should only be removed by repair agents. We also checked HONOR's previous foldable listings, and the company used this measuring method as far back as the Magic V2. The company claimed at the time that the Magic V2 was the thinnest book-style foldable phone, coming in at under a centimeter thick (9.9mm).
We asked HONOR for comment on the Twitter user's claims:
The overall thickness does not include the inner and outer screen protective films and the raised part of the camera. This measuring method is not unique to HONOR.
HONOR also sent us images (seen below) which it briefly posted online. These pictures show that the folded device measures 8.8mm. However, the company confirmed to Android Authority that it removed the outer protective film for these images and measurements. That's an understandable caveat as, unlike the inner film, customers can remove the outer film in the first place. The company added that there was 'no need' to remove the inner film for these folded measurements.
This does make us wonder why HONOR's website claims that the 8.8mm measurement excludes protective films on both screens. After all, if HONOR achieved an 8.8mm thickness while including these layers, it would be an achievement worth shouting about. It's also worth noting that we don't get a look at the inner screen in these pictures to confirm that the protective film was intact, so we have to take HONOR's word for that.
What about other manufacturers?
Paul Jones / Android Authority
Our ears pricked up when HONOR told us it wasn't the only one using this measurement method. After scouring product listings, we discovered that OPPO excludes the screen protector for its OPPO Find N5 (seen above). This foldable is supposed to be 8.93mm thick.
We asked Samsung how it measures foldable phones, and we're still waiting for an answer. However, the company's Newsroom website notes the following:
Thickness of Galaxy Z Fold 7 when folded measured from top to bottom of the glasses of Galaxy Z Fold 7.
I'm guessing the company is measuring the folded Galaxy Z Fold 7 from the cover screen to the rear glass cover. We've asked Samsung to clarify this statement.
Meanwhile, Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold product listing simply states that the phone's measurement 'does not include camera bump.' This suggests that Google includes the screen protectors in its measurements.
How does Xiaomi measure its foldable phones? Here's what the company told us:
Xiaomi follows (the) industry standard on how thickness of foldable devices are measured.
The big problem with this response is that there doesn't seem to be a single industry standard for measuring foldable phones. We asked the company to clarify its response, but it didn't come back to us.
We also asked HUAWEI about its method of measuring foldable phones, but it didn't get back to us. However, the HUAWEI Mate X6 product page notes that the 'folded thickness does not include the appearance of the camera module.' Finally, we asked vivo about their method of measuring foldable phone thickness, but we're still waiting for an answer.
It doesn't end with foldable phone thickness
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
Questionable measurement methods aren't restricted to thickness, either. A closer look at various product pages reveals that a few manufacturers are also bending the truth regarding the weight of their foldables.
The HONOR Magic V5 product listing confirms that the white model's 217-gram weight was achieved without including the inner protective film. The OPPO Find N5 fine print also shows that its 229-gram weight didn't include the inner screen protector.
Meanwhile, the vivo X Fold 5 (217 grams) and HUAWEI Mate X6 (239 grams) product pages reveal that these foldables were weighed without the inner or outer protective films. Again, we can understand excluding the outer film, but the inner film isn't user-removable. Samsung and Google's product listings don't specify these details.
Why is all of this a big deal, though?
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
You might wonder why we care about 0.1mm or a similarly minuscule disparity. However, this can be the difference between a smartphone maker claiming it has the world's thinnest foldable phone and… not. After all, HONOR's claim that the V5 is the world's thinnest foldable phone hinges on a ~0.1mm difference.
Using a measurement method that potentially flatters your own device is a questionable marketing tactic. It could allow brands to make a claim they otherwise might not be able to make with a more conventional measurement method. In HONOR's case, the company told us its measurement holds up even when the inner screen film is included. However, that only raises more questions about why it doesn't stick with the more conventional measurement method in the first place.
In any event, it's clear that some foldable phone makers are playing fast and loose when measuring their devices. HONOR and OPPO's measurement methods, in particular, warrant a small pinch of salt. Meanwhile, Xiaomi's response also makes me skeptical about their measurement methods. This issue will likely only return to the spotlight when Apple eventually releases its rumored foldable iPhone.
This isn't the first time we've seen questionable tactics from smartphone brands in the name of marketing. Some tactics over the years include benchmark cheating, promoting pointless metrics (e.g. 100x zoom), and 'smartphone camera samples' taken by DSLR cameras. However, this latest tactic risks further eroding user trust in smartphone manufacturer claims.
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