The era of ultra-durable smartphones

A series of high-end and even popular smartphones have just been launched by technology companies with breakthrough improvements in high impact resistance and increased operating system update time.

Many choices for consumers

For foldable smartphones, durability becomes even more of a challenge for manufacturers. In particular, manufacturers must compete with the criteria of devices that are increasingly thinner and lighter but must be more durable.

In early April, OPPO launched the OPPO Find N5 smartphone, which is only 8.93 mm thick when folded and 4.21 mm thick when unfolded. Weighing 229 g, the Find N5 is even lighter than the current bar-shaped flagship. This foldable device is designed with an aircraft-grade fiber back cover; the frame is made of 7000 series aluminum alloy, increasing durability by 30%. The ultra-thin Nanocrystal glass helps the outer screen improve its impact resistance when dropped by up to 20%. The Find N5 is the world's first foldable smartphone to meet the IPX9 standard, which is water-resistant even at high temperatures, far surpassing the previous IPX8 standard. The titanium alloy bending hinge technology makes the hinge 26% smaller and 36% stronger than the previous generation. The OPPO Find N5 has achieved a durable folding screen certification from TÜV Rheinland Reliable Folding Certification - one of the most rigorous durability assessment standards on the market. To solve the problem of thin and light devices that are still durable, smartphone manufacturers choose to use aluminum frames and bezels instead of plastic frames in mid-range and above. They even use aerospace-grade aluminum materials (like all three mid-range smartphones Reno 13 Pro, Reno 13 and Reno 13F launched by OPPO in Vietnam in early 2025).

Smartphone screens are "sensitive" components that are easily "damaged". The cost of replacing a broken screen often accounts for half the price of the device. Since the beginning of 2025, users in Vietnam have had the mid-range smartphone HONOR X9c Series with a new generation of shock-resistant screen HONOR Anti-Drop Display, tested for durability even when falling freely from a height of 2 m at all angles. In addition, many types of advanced tempered glass have been used to protect smartphone screens - enhancing resistance to scratches, breakage, and cracks due to impact and drops. For example: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (on Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G, Note 14 Pro+ 5G); Corning Gorilla Glass 7i (on OPPO A5 Pro); Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (on Redmi Note 14 5G); Schott Xensation α (on Vivo Y29) ...

OPPO Find N5 smartphone is designed with a back cover made of aircraft-grade fiber material, increasing durability by 30%. Photo: PHAM ANH PHU

In the mass market segment, many ultra-durable smartphones have also been launched. The Realme C75x smartphone has an ArmorShell protection layer, meeting the US military shockproof standard MIL-STD 810H with internal airbags, custom padding around important components, absorbing maximum impact force and a frame made of high-pressure die-cast aluminum alloy, anti-warping and minimizing damage when dropped. In particular, the upgraded 0.23 mm edge protection ring minimizes the risk of cracking and breaking the screen when impacted. Most shockproof devices (OPPO A5 Pro, realme C75x ...) have passed 14 US military standard MIL-STD 810H durability tests and SGS certification, such as multi-angle drop, high-intensity impact test and other high-standard durability tests. The batteries of the devices are mostly over 5,000 mAh, made of new, more durable and lighter materials. Combined with the power optimization of CPU and operating system, hardware design, battery management and protection algorithm with AI, the battery life is extended. More and more smartphones are announced that can still maintain over 80% battery capacity after more than 4 years of use.

Many mid-range smartphones (OPPO Reno13 Series, POCO X7 Series, OPPO A5 Pro Series...) have been upgraded with dust and water resistance up to the highest standard IP69. With this standard, the device can withstand depths of up to 2 m underwater for 30 minutes without any protective equipment, and can withstand high-pressure water jets at temperatures up to 80 degrees Celsius.

Support software "upgrade"

Previously, even high-end smartphones were only supported by manufacturers for about 2 operating system updates. In early 2022, joining the global sustainable development trend, Samsung announced that it would extend the software update period to 4 years for the operating system and 5 years for security updates, starting with the Galaxy S21 Series.

Chinese smartphone manufacturers have also quickly joined this race. OPPO's flagship lines from 2023 will receive 4 OS upgrades and 5 years of security patch updates. Xiaomi has increased the OS upgrades and security updates for its latest flagship lines to 3 times since 2023. Google continues to lead the way in terms of support time for Google Android OS upgrades. From the Google Pixel 8 Series in October 2023 to now, Google has officially announced the software update period for Pixel smartphone generations up to 7 years, including annual Android OS upgrades and regular security updates. In early 2025, Samsung announced the Galaxy S25 Series flagship smartphone line, which will support 7 generations of OS upgrades and 7 years of security updates (from the date of global launch).

In the mid-range segment, the Samsung Galaxy A Series in 2025 all run the latest Android 15 operating system with One UI 7 and extended update time. The Galaxy A56 5G, Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A26 5G trio are updated to 6 Android versions (equivalent to 6 years) and security updates for up to 6 years. Even the popular market segment version, the Galaxy A06 5G, with the lowest price in the line (under 4 million VND), is committed by Samsung to 4 generations of Android and One UI operating system upgrades, along with 4 years of security updates.

Reduce e-waste

Increasing durability will extend the life of the device, help reduce electronic waste and waste of natural resources, and protect a greener and cleaner environment.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thoi-cua-smartphone-sieu-ben-196250419203810837.htm