It will be “slimmer and lighter” and richer in features. Samsung is having its big Unpacked event on July 26 where the next generation of its foldable devices will be launched, most probably called Galaxy Z Fold5 and Galaxy Z Flip5. We also expect new smartwatches and tablets to be announced. With competition heating up in the foldable space, here’s all that you need to know about the upcoming event in Seoul.
“We’ve raised the standards for foldable smartphone ergonomics. A difference of millimetre in a device’s thickness may not sound like a big change, but every gram and millimetre in a foldable device requires an engineering breakthrough. It demands craftsmanship with passion. When done well, the benefit to users is huge. That’s why we’ve innovated to make our latest foldables slimmer and lighter than our previous generations,” said TM Roh, president and head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics, in the company’s official blog.
File picture of Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4. The Telegraph
WHAT COULD BE THE HIGH POINTS OF GALAXY Z FOLD5 AND FLIP5?
Officially, nothing has been announced but rumours are in plenty, which includes a “water drop”-style hinge to reduce the degree to which the screen crease can be seen when the phone is unfolded. It will also help the phone to close without a gap between the two halves. The phone is expected to have the same IP rating as its predecessor, that is, IPX8 water resistance, which helps tackle shallow water.
In terms of performance, it is expected to have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. We need to see if it comes with UFS 4.0 storage, like on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The screen will probably remain the same with a 6.2-inch Full HD+ cover display and a 7.6-inch QHD+ inside display.
With the improved hinge mechanism, the thickest point could be 13mm and overall weight will be down considerably.
On the Flip phone the biggest change may come in the form of a bigger outer screen. Oppo and Motorola have both showcased devices that have this and Samsung is expected to not just offer a bigger cover display but more software features.
WILL THE CAMERA ROCK?
If rumours are true then the triple camera setup on the Fold this time will have a 50MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide camera, 10MP telephoto camera, and 12MP selfie snapper. There have been talks of a 108MP main sensor, like the one used on the S22 Ultra, but it’s unlikely.
WILL THERE BE STYLUS SUPPORT ON GALAXY Z FOLD5?
Like on last year’s phone, it should support the S Pen but don’t expect a dedicated slot/silo for the stylus to attach to the phone, like you find on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. But there will be Fold covers to accommodate the S Pen.
ANY NEWS ON THE SOFTWARE FRONT?
Given the fact that the phone is launching on July 26, it will probably go on sale early August or around the same time as Google may ship a final build of Android 14. The Fold5 will probably launch with Android 13 (and One UI 5.1.1) out of the box but it is expected to become one of the first devices to be able to run Android 14.
WHAT WILL BE THE PRICE OF GALAXY Z FOLD AND Z FLIP?
Samsung is not expected to make the Fold5 cheaper. The Z Flip? Given the number of flip phones that are now there, the phone will be competitively priced The phones are already open for prereserve and in India it’s just Rs 1,999 (refundable).
