Honor has officially confirmed its Magic V5 foldable smartphone will measure just 8.8mm when closed, making it the world’s thinnest foldable phone when it launches next month. The Chinese manufacturer is skipping the Magic V4 name entirely, jumping straight to the V5 to highlight the big leap from the current Magic V3’s 9.2mm thickness.
This 8.8mm measurement beats all current competitors and sets a new record for foldable phones. Honor believes its latest phone will be thinner than Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7, which launches in July as well, creating a head-to-head battle between the two flagships. The thickness numbers tell the story of Honor’s steady progress across generations. The Magic V2 measured 9.9mm when folded, the current Magic V3 brought this down to 9.2mm, and now the Magic V5 hits 8.8mm. That’s a 0.4mm improvement over the V3 and a full 1.1mm thinner than the V2.
Getting a foldable this thin isn’t easy. These phones need to fit dual displays, complex hinges, and extra reinforcement compared to regular phones. Honor has clearly figured out how to pack everything into an incredibly slim package without breaking. The V2 to V5 progression shows steady improvement rather than one big breakthrough, with each generation getting meaningfully thinner while keeping the phone functional and durable.
Honor’s Magic V5 will likely grab the world’s thinnest foldable crown when it arrives. The 8.8mm measurement puts it ahead of everything currently available and shows Honor is serious about leading in this area. Other manufacturers have been trying to make thinner foldables, but Honor seems to have cracked the code first. The July launch timing puts it directly against Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7, and Honor sounds confident they’ll come out ahead on thickness.
Samsung has dominated foldables for years, but Chinese manufacturers like Honor are clearly catching up and pushing ahead in key areas. The thickness race shows how competitive this market has become. An 8.8mm foldable feels much more like a regular phone when closed, which matters because many people still think foldables are too thick and bulky for everyday use.
Getting close to regular smartphone thickness while still offering a big screen when opened could finally make foldables mainstream. Honor seems to understand that making these phones practical matters more than just having the latest tech. The Magic V5’s slim profile should fit in pockets easily and feel comfortable to hold, addressing two of the biggest complaints about foldables.
Honor’s Magic V5 represents a big step forward for foldable phones. The 8.8mm thickness proves these devices can finally match regular smartphones for portability while still offering the benefits of a larger screen. This could be the phone that makes foldables go mainstream, especially if other manufacturers struggle to match Honor’s engineering achievement. If Honor delivers on durability too, this might be the foldable that changes minds about the category and pushes the entire industry forward.
