200,000 Folds Later: What Really Happened to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has been advertised as being thinner, lighter, and harder than previous models. However, a stress test in the real world has shown that even the best foldable phones have their limits. 

Tech-it, a Korean YouTube channel, wanted to see how much the Z Fold 7 could bend before it started to have problems. They folded and unfolded the phone 200,000 times by hand in a live-streamed experiment that lasted several days.  This wasn't a rapid lab test done by machines; it was a hands-on endurance test that made the procedure feel more personal. 

Problems Start Right Away

The first symptom of disaster arrived far sooner than expected.  The phone started to reset on its own between 6,000 and 10,000 folds. This may not seem like much for a device that folds every day, but it could mean that the device’s electronics are under a lot of stress.  The hinge on the phone started to make a slow creaking sound after about 46,000 folds. This noise made it sound like the hinge was already under a lot of stress, which is not good for a device that is all about smooth motion. 

The Mystery of the Black Liquid 

At 75,000 folds, things got weird.  Testers saw a black liquid oozing from the hinge area. It is unclear where did the liquid come from, but it may have been from lubricating the hinges. Whatever it was, it made people wonder if the phone would stay sealed for a long time. 

Big Fail at 175,000 Folds

The Z Fold 7's speakers, including the earpiece, stopped working after 175,000 folds.  That meant no music, no calls via the top speaker, and no alarms.  This was one of the worst points for the phone’s durability in the test, and it shows that persistent mechanical stress can hurt more than just the hinge. 

There Was Still Some Strength Left

Even with these problems, the phone's folding mechanism got smoother as the test went on.  It could still keep its position at varied angles even after 200,000 folds, which is an important quality for foldable phones. 

Lab experiments demonstrate that foldable phones can handle hundreds of thousands of folds without any noticeable problems.  But this real-world, hands-on test reveals that what users say can be different. Machines may not be able to simulate the wear that comes from heat, manual pressure, and uneven folding force. It's evident to purchasers that foldable phones are amazing pieces of technology, but they still have restrictions. Remember that durability is about more than simply the number on a spec sheet if you want to buy one. 

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