HONOR tackles foldable hinge concerns with Magic V6 durability push

• IN PHOTO: HONOR Magic V6 during the durability test at the Angeles City Flying Club in Pampanga. (John Paul Sta. Ana/TechWatchPH)

HONOR Philippines is taking aim at one of the most persistent concerns surrounding foldable smartphones, hinge durability, as it makes long-term use a key part of its pitch for the new HONOR Magic V6.

Speaking exclusively with TechWatch PH following an unconventional durability test at the Angeles City Flying Club in Pampanga, HONOR Philippines Vice President Stephen Cheng said the company deliberately put the Magic V6’s hinge under extreme stress by using the foldable smartphone to pull a one-ton aircraft.

“The reason why we’re trying to test talaga the durability of the hinge of the HONOR Magic V6 [is by] pulling this 1-ton aircraft,” Cheng said.

Cheng said HONOR chose heavy machinery for the demonstration to put attention on the folding mechanism, which he identified as one of the key long-term concerns surrounding foldable smartphones.

“The main problem talaga ng foldable is ‘yung hinge,” Cheng said.

He noted that some foldable devices can perform well when new but eventually develop a looser folding mechanism or visible lines on the display after months of repeated use.

HONOR says the Magic V6 uses its Super Steel Hinge with a 2,800 MPa steel shielded structure and has passed testing for 500,000 folding cycles. The device also carries IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance ratings.

The aircraft pull was designed specifically to demonstrate the strength of the folding mechanism rather than serve as a general durability test of the entire device.

Beyond hinge durability, HONOR is also positioning long-term usability as part of the value proposition of the Magic V6.

Cheng said consumers spending tens of thousands of pesos on a high-end smartphone expect to use the device over the long term, making investments in both hardware and software important for premium devices.

The Magic V6 pairs its foldable design with a 7.95-inch inner display and a 6.52-inch outer display, both supporting adaptive refresh rates of 1Hz to 120Hz. It also packs a 6,660mAh silicon-carbon battery with support for 80W wired and 66W wireless charging.

HONOR lists the white version at around 219 grams, measuring 8.75 millimeters when folded and 4 millimeters when unfolded.

But hardware is only one part of HONOR’s pitch for the foldable.

Cheng said the Magic V6 also carries more advanced AI capabilities, including image-to-video, AI erase and Gemini-powered features.

Security is another area the company is highlighting. Cheng pointed to deepfake detection technology, which he said can analyze facial characteristics and alert users to suspicious activity. He also cited voice-cloning detection as another security capability available on the device.

Cheng said such tools are becoming increasingly relevant as smartphones hold access to banking accounts, credit cards and other sensitive personal information.

“All of our credit cards are here. Sobrang useful nung deepfake na ‘yun and not everyone has really cherished that, pero ang laking tulong niya,” Cheng said.

For HONOR, the Magic V6 represents an effort to address practical concerns surrounding foldable ownership, particularly whether the hinge can withstand repeated use while the device continues to deliver the battery life, software and AI capabilities expected from a premium smartphone.