Samsung is reportedly weighing the use of either titanium or carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) for the backplate of next year’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, according to The Elec.

According to the report, sources say CFRP was reconsidered as an option due to uncertainties surrounding the U.S.–China trade dispute. Samsung currently sources its titanium from China but is concerned that potential U.S. tariffs could disrupt the supply, the report adds. As the report notes, the company chose titanium for the recently launched Z Fold 7 and last year’s Z Fold SE to make the foldable devices as thin as possible.

Meanwhile, the report adds that Samsung used CFRP for its foldable phones from the Z Fold 3 in 2021 through to the Z Fold 6. Prior to that, the original Fold (2019) and Z Fold 2 (2020) featured stainless steel backplates.

Samsung Display, which supplies Samsung’s foldable panels, is also considering glass as a backplate option, according to the report.

As the report explains, backplates serve as structural support between the foldable display and the hinge, and are sometimes referred to as the internal hinge.

According to TrendForce, Samsung currently leads the foldable segment and recently launched its next-generation flagship, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, with significant improvements in hinge design, crease visibility, and form factor. However, TrendForce notes that growing competition from other brands is eroding Samsung’s dominance, with its global market share expected to drop from 45.2% in 2024 to 35.4% in 2025.

Is the S Pen Coming Back to Samsung Foldables?

In addition to the switch to titanium starting with the Z Fold SE, the S Pen was also omitted from both the Z Fold SE and the Z Fold 7, as the report points out.

However, the report notes that Samsung is continuing to develop S Pen-related technology. The company is reportedly working on a thinner digitizer—used to detect the stylus—which could allow future Fold models to support the S Pen once again.

As the report indicates, Samsung previously used electromagnetic resonance technology for its S Pen, which requires a digitizer to function.

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(Photo credit: Samsung)