Honor has officially announced the launch date of its highly anticipated Magic V5 foldable smartphone. The next-generation foldable will be unveiled on July 2 during a dedicated event in Shenzhen, China, starting at 7 PM local time (2 PM UTC). Alongside the Magic V5, Honor is expected to debut several other devices during the event.
Aiming to be the world’s thinnest foldable
Image auto-translated to English. | Image credit — Honor
Honor has a strong reputation for crafting remarkably thin foldable devices, and the Magic V5 is expected to raise the bar once again.
According to multiple reports and certification documents, the Magic V5 could become the thinnest foldable on the market, with a folded profile measuring under 9mm, potentially beating the current record held by the Oppo Find N5 (8.93mm). The move would also position it ahead of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is rumored to come in at exactly 8.9mm.
But the ultra-thin form factor doesn’t mean Honor is compromising on power or battery life. In fact, the Magic V5 is expected to ship with a massive 6,100mAh battery, the largest ever in a book-style foldable. That’s a significant step up from last year’s Magic V3, which featured a 5,150mAh unit.
Fast charging remains at 66W, and if Honor manages to maintain its 45-minute full charge time despite the battery bump, that alone could make the Magic V5 a battery champion in its category.
Flagship specs and a bold new finish
The Magic V5 is confirmed to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Version, the top-end variant of Qualcomm’s latest chip with higher-clocked performance cores (up to 4.47GHz). Geekbench listings also suggest the device will offer at least 16 GB of RAM, ship with Android 15, and offer flagship-tier performance.
And no, you didn't miss the Honor V4 — it doesn't exist. Honor is reportedly skipping the "V4" naming entirely and going straight to the Magic V5, in line with Chinese brand superstition and just like other companies based in China.
The phone is expected to arrive in four colorways: Velvet Black, Snow White, Tundra Green, and a new premium-looking Silk Gold finish. This new color is likely intended to help the device stand out visually, particularly as Samsung’s foldables tend to stick to more conservative tones.
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Cameras, display, and satellite connectivity
The Magic V5 is tipped to feature an 8-inch main folding display and a 6.45-inch cover screen, with both panels likely using OLED technology.
On the back, a 200 MP periscope telephoto camera is rumored to headline the camera setup — a significant leap if true. Combined with the rest of the triple camera array, this could make the Magic V5 one of the most versatile camera systems on a foldable.
Another rumored addition is BeiDou satellite messaging support, which would give users limited off-grid communication capabilities — a feature that’s gradually becoming more common on high-end phones in China.
A serious Galaxy Z Fold 7 rival
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the thinnest of them all?
The timing of the Magic V5 launch sets it up as a direct challenger to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is also expected to be announced in July.
While Samsung is likely to focus on software integration and Galaxy AI, Honor is instead doubling down on hardware innovation with a thinner profile, larger battery, and potentially stronger camera hardware. For me, improvements to the hardware still beat new AI "magic," so I appreciate Honor's approach here.
If Honor delivers on all its promises — particularly the combination of extreme thinness and battery endurance — the Magic V5 could mark a pivotal moment in the competition between Chinese and Korean foldable manufacturers. We’ll be following the July 2 launch closely to see how the final product measures up.
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Aleksandar is a tech enthusiast with a broad range of interests, from smartphones to space exploration. His curiosity extends to hands-on DIY experiments with his gadgets, and he enjoys switching between different brands to experience the latest innovations. Prior to joining PhoneArena, Aleksandar worked on the Google Art Project, digitizing valuable artworks and gaining diverse perspectives on technology. When he's not immersed in tech, Aleksandar is an outdoorsman who enjoys mountain hikes, wildlife photography, and nature conservation. His interests also extend to martial arts, running, and snowboarding, reflecting his dynamic approach to life and technology.
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