Honor has launched the Magic V3 with an incredibly thin body – less than 4.4mm when unfolded and 9.2mm when folded. The company will launch the foldable model internationally on September 5, so it is betting everything on promotional activities, including mocking competitors.
Honor has issued the “world’s smallest apology” to Samsung owners who have purchased a Galaxy Z Fold device. The 166-word apology is etched into the 2.84mm-thick Magic V3 hinge. The Chinese company wanted to “compensate for the inconvenience caused to those who have already purchased Samsung’s thicker alternative.”
The full text of the message is:
Dear Samsung Galaxy Z Fold owners, we apologize. We know you were excited to buy a phone that folds in half and fits awkwardly in your pocket. You were promised the future, a technological marvel, a world of unlimited multitasking and productivity.
And now you’re probably looking at the new HONOR Magic V3 and feeling a little… betrayed. Size matters and we feel your pain. Like being tipped for a gold medal and then coming in last in a race, knowing that there’s a thinner, lighter and more durable foldable phone out there is enough to make anyone question their choice.
We get it. You were an early adopter, a pioneer boldly venturing into the uncharted territory of foldable screens of questionable durability. You deserve better. In fact, you deserve a gold medal.
In all seriousness, we at HONOR are committed to pushing the boundaries of technology and delivering the best foldable experience possible. We’re just saying… it’s okay to feel let down. We’d feel the same way.
The apology was etched by Graham Short, a 78-year-old British artist known for his miniature artwork, one of which is this message. The message took the artist 90 hours to hand-engrave, and can only be read under a microscope.
The press release doesn’t mention that this is a single graphic and not a message that will be engraved on all Magic V3 foldables. We also have no idea if we’ll be able to see it, but we hope it’s revealed at IFA 2024 in Berlin.
Trying to mock Samsung, a company that launched its first foldable phone before Honor was even an independent company, is one way to draw attention to the Magic V3. Another is through the phone’s durability, which we also tested.
Honor will launch the Magic V3 on Thursday in three colors: green, black, and red. The price will be revealed during an event that we will attend. Once everything is official, we will be ready to share all the other details.
