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Samsung’s upcoming foldable phones might sense debris before it damages the screen

Samsung’s leaked Foreign Object Detection feature may stop users from forcefully closing their foldable devices, helping prevent potential damage.

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The Z Fold 5 being half folded.
Tushar Mehta / Digital Trends

With the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked February event just a day away, leaks are flowing like an untamed river. An early build of One UI 9 has almost confirmed the addition of a new design in the Samsung Galaxy fold lineup. 

Joining the Galaxy Fold and Flip is a new, wider Galaxy Fold, which will feature a passport-style design, providing users with a better tablet experience when the device is unfolded. 

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Now, the folks at Android Authority have spotted a new feature inside the builds of One UI 9 code. Dubbed the Foreign Material Detection, this feature aims to prevent users from damaging their fold’s screen.

What is the Foreign Material Detection feature?

One of the biggest causes of damage to the inner display in foldable devices is small debris that becomes lodged between the two halves of the screen.

The strings found in the code suggest that the wide Samsung Galaxy Fold will now warn you to check for any foreign substance that might be preventing the screen from folding shut completely. Instead of forcing the device to fold, which might damage the display, this prompt will allow users to clean the device before closing. 

Samsung has added three new images to demonstrate the feature. As shown in the images, a wider foldable device appears alongside the standard Galaxy Fold and Flip models, confirming the introduction of a new form factor.

What other surprises is Samsung cooking for the Galaxy Unpacked event?

We have seen several leaks and rumors revealing other features and hardware changes coming to Samsung Galaxy Ultra and Fold devices. 

There’s a new privacy screen feature that will prevent people from snooping on private information, a new screen technology that will greatly reduce the crease in foldable devices, and several new AI features. 

If the leaks and rumors turn out to be correct, Samsung fans are in for an exceptional event.

Rachit Agarwal
Rachit is a seasoned tech journalist with over ten years of experience covering the consumer technology landscape.
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