Samsung’s next Unpacked event is just days away on July 26. That means we might see a new foldable phone, or two, from the company. Rumors suggest that Samsung’s next foldable, expected to be called the Galaxy Z Fold 5, will be a minor update to the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The possible announcement follows the introduction of Google’s first foldable phone, the Pixel Fold, in June. The Pixel Fold’s shape and price position it as Samsung’s biggest rival to the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Among the biggest changes expected for the Galaxy Fold 5 is a redesigned hinge that should reduce the thickness of the device. But, of course, we won’t know for sure until Samsung makes an announcement. Rumors also point to routine changes like a thinner build, suggesting Samsung is still fine-tuning the Galaxy Z Fold’s design.
Every year, Samsung has implemented modest but useful changes to the Z Fold’s physics that make it more enjoyable. with Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, Samsung increased the width of the flip’s screen, a small change that makes it feel a bit more like a regular phone when closed. But the Z Fold 4 is still visible when folded compared to a standard phone, showing that it still has work to do.
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Here’s what we know about the Galaxy Z Fold 5 so far, based on rumors and historical Samsung product launches.
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Galaxy Z Fold 5 release date
The next Samsung Unpacked event will be held on July 26, which means we can expect new products to arrive soon after. Samsung usually releases new foldable phones in the August time frame, while it usually announces new Galaxy S phones around February.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, declared on August 10th and went on sale on August 26th. Before that, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 hit store shelves on August 27, 2021. With that in mind, it looks like the July event will focus on the Z Fold and Z Flip.
It is said to have leaked Samsung marketing images that appeared on Twitter and were first published by the known leaker Evan Blass also suggested that the folds will be announced at the event. However, this leak did not specifically show the Z Fold 5.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 price
Samsung’s foldable tablet-style devices don’t come cheap. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $1,800 without trade-in. This is certainly cheaper than Samsung’s Original Galaxy Fold, but it’s still a lot more expensive than your average phone. It’s also the same price as Google’s recently announced Pixel Fold.
We haven’t heard much about the Galaxy Z Fold 5 price when it comes to leaks and rumors. But TM Roh, president and head of Samsung’s mobile experience division, acknowledged when he spoke to CNET last August that pricing is a challenge.
“It’s definitely a challenge that we’re dealing with and we’re going to have to deal with it,” he said.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 design
If the rumors turn out to be true, Samsung may make some design improvements to the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Korean news outlets The Elec and ET News, as well as useful information The ice universehave reported that Samsung will implement a new waterdrop-shaped hinge for the Galaxy Z Fold 5. This could result in a less visible crease and a slimmer profile when closed, similar to Oppo Find N, which has this hinge style. The biggest benefit would be that the phone folds completely with no gaps, making it feel sleeker when used as a normal phone.
This would be a much appreciated upgrade, considering one of them Galaxy Z Fold 4 The biggest downside is that it still feels bulky when folded. Competitors like Oppo AND Huawei have also done a better job at hiding wrinkles, as my colleagues Sareena Dayaram and Eli Blumenthal have written, so this new hinge could help Samsung catch up.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 S Pen
Samsung’s book-style fold has supported the S Pen since the Galaxy Z Fold 3, so it seems likely that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will too. The question, however, is whether you will be able to store it inside the device as you can with Galaxy S23 Ultra.
ET News reported that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will not include a storage slot for the S Pen. There is less room to store the S Pen as the hinge structure has changed, the report said, citing a person familiar with the matter.
However, a previous report from The Elec said that Samsung cited the addition of a dedicated slot for the S Pen as a challenge it believes needs to be overcome to further popularize foldable phones. This suggested that Samsung was indeed considering adding an S Pen case to its upcoming foldable device.
Adding the S Pen to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 could make it more useful as a productivity device, further defining who the product is really for. But doing so while reducing the thickness of the device is certainly a challenge. One solution could be to create a magnetic mechanism for attaching the stylus to the Z Fold 5, similar to how the Apple Pencil attaches to the iPad.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 screen when unfolded.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 storage and other specs
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is likely to share some specs with the Galaxy S23 lineup. The phone could be available in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB storage options, just like the Galaxy S23 Ultra, according to Sam Mobile.
Also likely to work Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, according to The Elec, just like the Galaxy S23 family. Samsung optimized the version of the chip that’s inside its latest phones, so it’s possible it’ll do the same for its upcoming foldable devices.
We haven’t heard many camera rumors yet, but The Elec reports that it could have a 12-megapixel selfie camera and a triple-lens rear camera with a 50-megapixel main camera. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 also has a 50-megapixel primary camera, so it looks like we won’t see much improvement there. But if it has Samsung’s new optimized edition of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, we could see some of the behind-the-scenes improvements in image processing that arrived in the Galaxy S23.
The 12-megapixel front-facing camera would also represent an upgrade from the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s 10-megapixel in-display selfie camera, provided The Elec’s information is correct.
Overall, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 looks like it could be a modest improvement over the Galaxy Z Fold 4. But if the rumors turn out to be true, it will represent another step towards addressing some of the aesthetic compromises that come with foldable phones, like screen creases and bulky designs when closed.
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