Samsung is expected to update the Galaxy Fold in 2020. But what can you expect?
Samsung launched its second folding phone – the Galaxy Z Flip – on 11 February, but what of the update to Samsung’s first folding phone, the Galaxy Fold?
Rumours have started appearing more and more regularly about an update to the Galaxy Fold – which we think might be called either the Galaxy Z Fold or Galaxy Fold 2. It’s also been referred to as Project Champ and Winner 2, so there are plenty of monikers in play and there could be a number of different versions. We believe the Fold 2 will have the model number SM-F916.
Here’s what we’ve heard about the Galaxy Fold 2 so far. Release date and priceRumoured mid-year 2020 launchSuggestion of July or August launch, September availabilityMight be a little cheaper than original Fold
The Galaxy Fold was originally unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2019, but the Fold 2 is expected to appear now that the S20 family and Z Flip have been launched, with Q2 being suggested. We’ve seen July dates suggested and it’s also been suggested it will launch along with the Note 20 series in August 2020, with availability from September.
As for the pricing, guide pricing has been suggested as $1780-1980, looking to make it a little cheaper than the original Fold. There has also been talk of a Fold e and Fold Special Edition, priced around $1100, which might present and entry-level offering rather than the premium we’re expecting from the Fold 2. Ben GeskinDesignComes with S PenStainless steel frame, ceramic optionMight come with a brown colour option
We’re expecting Samsung to stick to the book-style vertical fold like the original Galaxy Fold. Given the larger design of this phone-cum-tablet, there would perhaps be space to integrate the S Pen, said to be included on this new version. One leak has gone as far as saying that the Fold 2 will basically be the Note 20 Ultra, we’re guessing because of its positioning and S Pen inclusion.
No Galaxy Note Ultra model, but the Galaxy Fold 2 will be your Ultra. #GalaxyNote
Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) May 11, 2020
Rumours from Max Weinbach suggest that there will be a stainless steel and ceramic version, we’re assuming that there will be regular aluminium and glass versions too, just to keep the price under control. It’s said to come in blue, silver, gold, pink and black colours, although we’ve seen more recent leaks saying that it will come in black or brown colours. We suspect it will be copper or bronze rather than dirty brown.
With the suggestion that the awkward notch of the original Galaxy Fold might be replaced with an in-display camera, the design could be cleaner than the current version.
Talk of an entry-level Fold e model has hinted at a model with no external display to reduce the price. Display and hardware Infinity-V 7.7-inch AMOLED display with UTG expected4.6-inch AMOLED Full HD+ external display? Snapdragon 865 + 5G?
Early reports suggest that the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 might come with an 8-inch display; since then we’ve seen mention of a 7.7-inch display, both bigger than the original 7.2-inch. The 7.7-inch size has been mentioned several times, along with the Infinity-V name. With 120Hz on the Galaxy S20 series, it makes sense for this display to be 120Hz too.
When Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Flip, one of the interesting points was that Samsung has used what it is calling Ultra Thin Glass to protect the display.
