Key Takeaways
1. Honor launched its first foldable smartphone, the clamshell design, in June 2024, with a follow-up expected in 2025.
2. The initial model, Magic V Flip, featured the older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip instead of the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
3. The upcoming V Flip 2 is expected to include the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, improving performance over its predecessor.
4. Competitors like the Motorola Razr+ 2025 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 are rumored to feature higher-end chips, including Snapdragon 8 Elite.
5. The V Flip 2 may focus more on aesthetics than specifications, with advanced camera features likely reserved for the flagship Magic V4 model.
Honor launched its first foldable smartphone, the clamshell design, in June 2024, and they are likely gearing up to release its follow-up in 2025 around the same time.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Details
At the time of its release, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 was the top-tier Qualcomm chip for Android devices like the Magic V Flip. Nevertheless, the compact horizontally-folding phone came with the older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 instead.
Expected Improvements in V Flip 2
The upcoming “V Flip 2” may correct that earlier shortcoming, at least in part. Recent leaks indicate that this new model will feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, while its flagship sibling, the Magic V4, will move up to the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, matching the latest high-end Oppo Find N5.
One could say that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 might be sufficient for a smartphone of the Magic V Flip 2’s dimensions. However, its main competitor, the Motorola Razr+ 2025, is rumored to include the 8 Elite upgrade, along with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 and the Xiaomi Mix Flip 2.
Spec Focus vs. Style
It appears that the second-generation Honor clamshell may prioritize aesthetics over specifications once again. On a related note, one of the company’s foldable models is expected to feature a solid periscope zoom lens in 2025, and it now seems more plausible that this will be included in the Magic V4 rather than the V Flip 2.