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Since the launch of the Galaxy Fold in 2019, Samsung has largely spearheaded the renaissance that is the return of flip/foldable phones into the mainstream—foldable smartphones, that is. From the first generation up until the most recent Galaxy Z Flip4 and Galaxy Z Fold4, every iteration has just gotten better and better, though not without their own respective faults.
With the next Galaxy Unpacked event scheduled for 26 July 2023, all spotlight is on Samsung’s next foldables, reportedly known as the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Galaxy Z Fold5, as apt for the fifth generation of its line.
And just like every new generation, we have expectations for the new upcoming foldable phones, particularly in terms of durability, a larger cover screen, and better battery life. Here's what we can expect from Samsung's next-gen foldables.
Durability: A New Hinge Design and Water Resistance
One of the main concerns with foldable phones is their durability, especially at the folding point, more commonly known as the hinge. The Galaxy Z Flip4 and Z Fold4 came with slimmer and thinner hinges, constructed with Armor Aluminium to make them the toughest and most durable yet.
However, Samsung’s hinge design still presents a pretty significant problem: when folded shut, the hinge does not close fully, instead leaving a gap between the two screens of the phone—not ideal, as foreign objects and dust may slip in and cause damage to the screen, not to mention the slight on aesthetics.
So, for the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Z Fold5, many are anticipating a “gapless” hinge that was already seen on several competitors. As supported by prominent leaker Ice Universe on Twitter, Samsung should be using a waterdrop hinge that allows the phone to fold completely flat.
Moreover, the Z Flip 5 is expected to have an IPX8 waterproof rating, indicating a high level of water resistance. This is a crucial feature for any smartphone, and it's good to see Samsung maintaining this standard in their foldable models.
Bigger Cover Screen: A Major Design Overhaul
One of the most significant changes expected in the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a much larger cover display. There have been several renders of the phone circulating on the Internet, and the uniformity of all these sources has to have some sort of grain of truth in them.
These renders show a 3.4-inch cover screen that fills most of the phone's top half. Compared to the Galaxy Z Flip4, as shown above, this is a considerable increase and will provide users with more screen space when the phone is folded.
This isn't just a cosmetic upgrade; it's a functional one too. It’s also suggested that Samsung has collaborated with Google to ensure that key apps are optimized for this larger outer screen. This means users will be able to interact with these apps fully without needing to unfold the phone, adding a layer of convenience to the user experience.
The Galaxy Z Flip4’s 1.9-inch cover screen was already very versatile; it would be interesting to see how Samsung can make it better with this major design overhaul.
Flagship-Level Snapdragon 8 Gen 2?
Battery life is a critical aspect of any smartphone, and it's even more important for foldable phones due to their larger screens. According to Korean site The Elec, the Galaxy Z Flip5 is expected to feature the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which promises a major performance jump without sacrificing energy efficiency. This could lead to significant improvements in battery life compared to previous models.
Another source also claims that the fifth generation of the Galaxy Z Series might be equipped with the overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy that was seen on Samsung’s flagship S23 Series launch earlier this year. It’s Samsung’s most powerful chipset yet.
Either way, we can definitely expect the new Galaxy Z Series to be seriously powerful—and hopefully more power efficient, something that was slightly lacking in the Galaxy Z Flip4.
Samsung’s commitment to popularizing the foldable smartphone is slowly but surely worming its way into the mainstream, but they still have quite a way to go. After all, most people don’t see a problem in their regular candybar phones, so why fix something that isn’t broken?
The answer is, of course, innovation. Flip phones aren’t new, and neither are foldable smartphones, but concerns about power and durability are at the forefront when it comes to picking out a new smartphone.
However, what we’ve heard so far about the new Galaxy Z Series sound like positive steps towards making foldable phones more practical and appealing to a broader range of users; from durability and power efficiency to a bigger cover screen, there’s certainly a lot to look forward to at the July Galaxy Unpacked event!
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