The battle for dominance in the foldable phone segment is heating up. Both Vivo and Honor appear poised to launch their newest contenders, each taking aim at challenges that have long faced foldables: battery life, weight, and bulk.
Recent leaks indicate that the Vivo X Fold 5 will come equipped with a massive 6,000mAh battery. This marks a significant jump in capacity for a foldable device. Charging speed will not lag behind either, as the phone is expected to support 90W wired and 30W wireless charging—figures rarely seen in this category.
Besides endurance, portability is getting a spotlight. Vivo’s teaser video hints that the X Fold 5 will be lighter and thinner than its predecessor. The X Fold 3 weighed 219 grams, but insiders suggest the new model could shed several grams, possibly dropping to 209 grams. Thickness, another sticking point for foldables, will reportedly shrink to just 4.3mm when unfolded, down from the previous 4.7mm.
Hardware details seem equally promising. The X Fold 5 should feature an 8.03-inch primary display, a 6.53-inch cover screen, and run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. With configurations up to 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, and a rear triple 50MP camera system, it looks designed to rival leading flagships. Vivo may also bring the X Fold 5 to market at a price below that of the X Fold 3 Pro, making it a more accessible premium foldable in China.
The competition will be fierce. Enter the Honor Magic V5, which is eyeing battery supremacy. Tipsters claim it will feature a 6,100mAh cell—the highest so far among foldables and just above the Vivo’s rumored capacity. Despite its larger battery, Honor reportedly intends to keep the V5 under 9mm thick when folded, showing advances in materials and battery tech.
On the performance front, the Magic V5 will rely on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and up to 16GB of RAM, running Android 15 out of the box. The device may boast an 8-inch 2K inner panel and a 6.45-inch OLED cover display. In the optics department, preliminary leaks reference a 50MP main sensor, a high-resolution periscope telephoto lens, and an ultrawide option. Fast wired charging at 66W is also expected, which should complement the high battery capacity.
Honor is rumored to unveil the Magic V5 and its wearable and tablet companions at the end of June. Vivo’s X Fold 5, meanwhile, is tipped for an early July reveal. These launches could reshape the perception of foldables, shifting the focus from compromises to all-round practicality. The early specs look compelling, but real-world performance and pricing will ultimately determine if either device can steal the spotlight from Samsung and Oppo. For now, anticipation is building for what may be a pivotal summer in the evolution of folding phones.
