With Mobile World Congress just around the corner, the start of the year is when manufacturers hope you’re getting a bit sick of the smartphone in your pocket and are starting to cast around for a replacement. At the same time, legislation and consumer sentiment are skewing towards products that last a little longer with each model cycle; the old emphasis on an annual upgrade is not sustainable, environmentally or economically.
Early adopters have a lot to answer for, for they fuel the engine of innovation, paying a premium to get the latest technology into their hands. At this point, folding screens are no longer a novelty. However, they’re still very much a minority choice, despite a number of excellent models, from the Google Pixel Fold to Motorola’s Razr.
This new offering from Honor, the Magic V2, has one genuine first up its sleeve: it’s the thinnest ‘inward folding’ smartphone, just 9.9mm thick. When stowed, this distinction matters a surprising amount, for the slender design is barely bigger than a conventional device, and if you’re just using the 6.43in external screen, it’s easy to overlook the interior screen altogether.
That would be a waste of the V2’s massive potential, of course, for the internal 7.92in display is one of the best we’ve seen on any modern smartphone. When switched off, the central crease is relatively prominent but happily it disappears in use. The tablet-sized device is perfect for editing film or video, composing music or just reading without having to squint.
It’s a great piece of kit, and whether you decide on sharing your digital life with the V2 depends on how handy you’ll find the dual functionality of the folding screen, as well as your propensity for inflicting accidental damage on your devices. Make no mistake, despite extensive durability testing (the titanium hinge should be good for 400,000 folds), folding phones are still way more fragile than the alternative.
Three front-facing cameras include a 50MP Ultra-Wide main camera, 50MP secondary camera as well as a 20MP telephoto camera. The Silk Black and Silk Purple finishes add another layer of distinction, while onboard there’s the latest version of Android. The Magic V2 is an undeniably premium product, so anyone investing in the device will need to make it last.
Honor Magic V2, from £1,699, HiHonor.com
-
A minimalist, off-grid Swiss cabin redefines the ski-in, ski-out experiencePerched above a millennia-old glacier, Cabane Tortin is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for athletic adventure-seekers – expect drama at 3,000m
-
A new concrete extension opens up this Stoke Newington house to its gardenArchitects Bindloss Dawes' concrete extension has brought a considered material palette to this elegant Victorian family house
-
This Gujarat apartment by MuseLAB is a sculptural, textural delightA study in materiality, this apartment in Gujarat, India layers idiosyncratic details while staying true to its provenance, and is the latest focus of The Inside Story, our series spotlighting intriguing and innovative interior design
-
Type without the tyranny of distractions: eight new ways to get the words outLooking for a way to divert you from doom-scrolling? This selection of eight distraction-free typing devices will keep you offline and away from the socials to help you meet that deadline
-
MWC 2025: 6 of the best conceptual phone designs and future facing techBarcelona’s Mobile World Congress has become the phone industry’s major hotspot for launches and new technology. Here are six of the best conceptual designs from this year's event
-
Artist Lachlan Turczan and Google's 'Making the Invisible Visible' at Milan Design Week 2025All that is solid melts into air at Garage 21 in Milan as Google showcases a cutting-edge light installation alongside a display of its hardware evolution and process
-
Layer conceptualises a next-gen AI-powered device: introducing the PiAPiA, the Personal Intelligent Assistant, is a conceptual vision of how AI might evolve to dovetail with familiar devices and form factors
-
Point, shoot and process with Lomography’s two new colourful Instax camera editionsWith the Pemberley and The Blues editions, the Lomo’Instant Square Glass camera provides stylish and pocketable analogue photography
-
We put the new ultra-compact Dyson Car+Boat handheld vacuum through its pacesA cordless handheld vacuum pitched at a plethora of tasks, Dyson has tasked the new Car+Boat with far-reaching functionality without compromising performance
-
The Century Series, Philips goes retro to celebrate over 100 years of audio innovationDutch audio brand Philips has drawn on its extensive archive to shape the form of the five Century devices, all of which offer stylish ways to enjoy vinyl, radio and more
-
E-ink comes of age: the best new tablets for distraction-free reading and writingWe explore the world of E-ink tablets to find the best device for handwriting input, editing, sketching and light computing duties
