Foldables began as flashy devices, proper? That aptitude’s nonetheless there, however now HONOR and Samsung are stepping in and altering the sport.
Foldables nonetheless belong to a smaller slice of the smartphone pie, however issues are heating up. In 2024, shipments hit round 25 million worldwide, and the excitement hasn’t slowed. Huge names like Samsung, Apple, Google, and vivo have new foldables within the pipeline. In the meantime, HONOR’s gearing as much as reveal the Magic V5 in only a few days. Once I hear “HONOR Magic V5,” I image somebody fashionable, chasing a cool design greater than high-end muscle. Don’t neglect—the Magic V3 nonetheless holds the title because the thinnest foldable to date. However perhaps the brand new handset will change how I see the HONOR model.
Let’s be sincere—you by no means thought of proudly owning an HONOR. Nonetheless, the Magic V2 and V3? A number of the cleanest folding telephones we’ve seen. Closed, they’re identical to your on a regular basis telephone. Open, they flip into an enormous, roomy show. So, let’s discover out if the following gadget retains the identical power or pushes issues even additional.
HONOR Magic V5 launch date
Earlier than Samsung takes the stage with the Galaxy Z Fold7, different manufacturers are already transferring. In China, HONOR plans to drop the Magic V5 on July 2. That’s the follow-up to the Magic V3, and the worldwide model would possibly pop up at IFA 2025 in September.
Yep, no typo there—HONOR did skip the quantity 4. Questioning why? Identical right here. Seems, it’s due to tetraphobia. In Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese, the quantity 4 appears like “loss of life,” so lots of people keep away from it fully.
Design and show

HONOR’s retaining quiet for now—no specs, no pictures of the Magic V5. Nonetheless, leaks have already began portray an image.
The Magic V3 made waves in 2024 for being razor-thin at 0.36″ when folded. To date, no phrase on whether or not HONOR will go for a thinner body or pack in higher cameras. However based on YouTuber @Techtacle, who claims to have had a sneak peek, the Magic V5 would possibly go even thinner—0.35″ when closed and simply 0.16″ when open.

As for the screens, the Magic V5 packs a 7.95″ 2K show inside with a 120 Hz refresh price, plus a 6.45″ 120 Hz display on the skin. The Galaxy Z Fold7 is anticipated to characteristic AMOLED shows on each screens, additionally with a dynamic 120 Hz refresh price for clean visuals.
Options and specs

When trying out foldables, battery measurement and digicam setup deserve high precedence. Sacrificing the digicam or skipping pen options simply to make the telephone thinner or lighter? That’s a tough cross.
YouTuber @Techtacle and serial leaker Digital Chat Station say the brand new foldable carries a 6,100 mAh battery, an enormous bounce from the 5,150 mAh contained in the Magic V3. The draw back? Charging nonetheless caps at 66 W, although earlier rumors pointed towards 80 W.
Digicam followers would possibly discover one thing to smile about. The Magic V5 faucets into the AiMAGE system, providing an aperture vary from F1.6 to F2.5 and a focal size between 0.51″ and a couple of.76″. It additionally incorporates a 3X mild changeperscope. Rear setup? 50+50+64 MP. On the entrance, it brings a 20 MP shooter. For comparability, the vivo X Fold5 packs twin 20 MP entrance cams and three 50 MP lenses on the again, together with a 3X zoom sensor.
There’s nonetheless a query mark across the chip. The final Magic V ran on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and vivo plans to stay with that, too. However Snapdragon 8 Elite is selecting up steam. The Galaxy Z Fold7 will seemingly carry it, and based on Digital Chat Station and @Techtacle, HONOR will comply with the identical path.
Value
The Galaxy Z Fold7 ought to value about the identical because the Z Fold6 at launch. Round €1,999 (≈$2,150) for 256 GB, €2,119 (≈$2,280) for 512 GB, and €2,359 (≈$2,540) for 1 TB.
As for the Vivo X Fold5, current leaks present costs at $6,999 for 12 GB + 256 GB, $7,999 for 12 GB + 512 GB, $8,499 for 16 GB + 512 GB, and $9,499 for 16 GB + 1 TB. That provides you a good suggestion of foldable pricing and what to anticipate.
Parting ideas
I’m not offered but, however I can’t lie—the Magic V5 appears like one thing I must see. The thought of a thinner foldable with a monster battery? That’s tempting. I’ve watched HONOR develop quick, and this is likely to be the telephone that shifts extra eyes their manner. If it appears sharp and performs clean, I would simply give it a shot. Let’s see what drops on July 2.