All things confirmed and possible about Samsung’s newest foldable
A lot of the time at Samsung’s recent Unpacked event was devoted to the new Galaxy Note20, but that wasn’t the only phone that the company debuted.
Those who saw the event were also given a first look at the Galaxy Z Fold2, the successor to the Galaxy Fold. So far, information about the device is fairly thin on the ground, but in this article we’ll gather all that we know currently about the phone into one place.
We’ll also have a look at what Samsung hasn’t yet told us about the phone, and what it might offer based on its predecessor and the manufacturer’s recent releases.
Release date
As already mentioned, Samsung officially confirmed the device at its Unpacked event on August 5, alongside a range of new products including the Note20.
There is no current release date for the device, however, Samsung announced that the device would be available for pre-order from September 1. Additionally, on that day, there will be an event, presumably where we will see a full demonstration of the phone’s specs and capabilities. Additionally, you can pre-register for interest on Samsung’s website.
Price
It’s tough to say what sort of price Samsung will put on the Z Fold2. The original Fold came in at £1,799, and as you’d expect the Z Fold2 to be an upgrade on that device, it could be a bit more expensive.
However, with Samsung placing an importance on foldables and 5G going forward (and increased competition in both of these segments pushing prices down), we could see the Z Fold2 on offer for less than the original Fold, especially if Samsung wants to start making the technology more mainstream.
Design
The Z Fold2 follows on from the Fold’s book fold appearance. At Unpacked, Samsung said it had two edge-to-edge, “nearly bezel-less Infinity-O displays”.
It’s certainly larger than its predecessor, with a 6.2-inch cover screen and a 7.6-inch main screen, compared to the Fold’s 4.6-inch cover and 7.3-inch main screen. Samsung touted the phone’s Ultra Thin Glass display, which makes the hinge more durable, and the phone can fold at different angles, like the Z Flip.
It appears to have a stainless steel frame, but this isn’t completely confirmed.
Given the 120Hz refresh rate on the Note20 Ultra and S20 Ultra, and the emphasis on a good display that comes with foldables, we’d hope to see 120Hz on the Z Fold2, although this isn’t confirmed yet.
We don’t know anything about RAM or storage, but 256GB is likely, with 512GB a strong possibility. The Fold had 12GB RAM; if the Z Fold2 had more it would be a pretty powerful phone, so it’ll probably still have 12GB.
As a 5G device, the phone will probably be packing a high-end Exynos/Qualcomm chipset.
Samsung has confirmed two colours for the Z Fold2: it’s much-hyped Mystic Bronze, and Mystic Black. As with the S20 series, there will also be a version with a luxury design courtesy of a collaboration with New York fashion house Thom Browne.
Cameras
Currently, beyond what we can see of the cameras in promotional pictures Samsung has provided us, we know nothing about what the Z Fold2 is packing in the sensor department.
We can see it has a triple-camera rear setup. It’s hopefully going to be an improvement on the Fold’s, and might possibly be on the same level as the Note 20’s, given the similarities in how their setups look. This would give the Z Fold2 a 64MP telephoto lens, 12MP main sensor and 12MP ultra-wide lens.
On the front, the Fold had a 10MP main sensor, as does the Note20, so expect this, or perhaps a 12MP sensor.
