Samsung's foldable panel passes U.S. military durability test

Samsung Display's foldable screen survived various stress tests to earn the military-grade certification.

Samsung Display's foldable OLED panel [SAMSUNG DISPLAY]

Samsung Display's foldable OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen passed the U.S. military durability test to become the first foldable panel to earn the spec.

The manufacturer said Monday its 7-inch panel deployed in foldable smartphones passed the U.S. military's MIL-STD 810G certification test, which evaluates whether the product can endure extreme environments and stress without incurring damage.

Samsung Display commissioned UL Solutions, an independent safety solutions company, to conduct tests on four MIL-STD 810G evaluation categories, such as temperature and impact.

The results showed that the foldable screen worked properly after being showered with water at a temperature of minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit), leaving it covered in an ice layer 6 millimeters thick. The panel stayed in that condition for four hours and still worked fine, according to the manufacturer.

The screen also withstood extreme temperatures that went as low as minus 32 degrees Celsius and as high as 63 degrees Celsius for two hours each. This cycle repeated three times without inflicting damage, according to Samsung Display.

Impact and stress tests were done by dropping the unit 26 times at a height of 1.22 meters and rotating it at speed exposing it to ten and a half times the force of gravity.

"The latest military-spec verification confirms Samsung Display's superior technology in the foldable display market, which has settled as the next-generation form factor," said Cho Yong-seok, who leads Samsung Display's marketing team for small and midsized business.

"Leaving behind the stereotype that foldable panels lack durability, it is expected that they can be deployed in various applications in various environments."

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]