Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

Introduction

Time flies, and it may be difficult to believe that Samsung is getting ready to release its fifth annual Galaxy Z Fold upgrade before the end of 2023. But it is true. The Korean tech giant is developing the Galaxy Z Fold 5, and the phone’s debut will mark half a decade of efforts and innovations in the growing foldable market space. Here’s what we know so far about the upcoming Fold model.

Design

Early reports indicate that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 may undergo a few major design changes. One concerns the aspect ratio of the two displays. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 could be wider than the previous models, which would make the cover display easier to use as a standard smartphone. The new footprint would also contribute to a wider screen ratio for the foldable panel.

Regarding this design change, however, newer rumors claim that the Z Fold 5 may retain the same aspect ratio as the previous models, which might make the phone look very similar to the Z Fold 4.

Secondly, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 may adopt a teardrop hinge and eliminate the gap between the two halves when the phone is folded shut. This could be one of the most crucial design improvements since the original Galaxy Fold went live in 2019.

As for build quality, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 might be the first foldable to boast dust resistance. Rumors say the phone may have an IP58 dust and water resistance rating. This should prevent dust particles from sneaking past the hinge and into the device.

Finally, rumors are still uncertain regarding the full adoption of the S Pen. Some reports say that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will have a dedicated S Pen slot, while others say that the phone will lack this feature due to internal space limitations.

Specifications

According to our sources, Samsung will offer the Galaxy Z Fold 5 in three storage variants, including 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. And like the Galaxy S23 series (save for the 128GB base model), Samsung’s foldable flagship for 2023 will use the UFS 4.0 storage specification, which boasts higher transfer rates than the ongoing UFS 3.1 solution.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 will likely use a chipset developed by Qualcomm, especially given the recent partnership with Samsung and the development of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 “for Galaxy” SoC. But whether or not the Z Fold 5 will use the same chipset as the Galaxy S23 series is to be determined.

The chipset is said to be paired with 12GB of RAM. And the phone should be powered by a 4,400mAh battery with 25W wired charging capabilities.

Display

The size and aspect ratio of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 displays are unknown, but rumors say the foldable panel has a 7.6-inch footprint. It’s QXGA+ AMOLED and has a 120Hz refresh rate. The inner screen is said to have a less visible crease because of the new teardrop hinge design.

As far as the cover screen goes, it should be of the AMOLED type and may have a 6.2-inch diagonal and an HD+ resolution.

The cover screen will likely be protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2 or a newer solution that has yet to be announced. Rumors also say that Samsung may want to acquire foldable displays from BOE for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 series rather than relying entirely on its in-house Display arm.

Camera

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 camera system is a mystery, but some wild rumors have attempted to guess the truth. According to less-credible sources, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 may feature a 108MP primary camera, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 64MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom capabilities.

Other rumors, which might be more accurate, suggest that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 should have a 50MP primary camera and a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and, of course, a 4MP under-display sensor hidden behind the foldable panel

Software and features

Samsung will probably release the Galaxy Z Fold 5 alongside a new version of One UI, possibly One UI 5.1.1 (or an upgraded One UI 5 version) or One UI 6.0. The feature set is presently unknown, but Samsung already started testing a new One UI version using the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 as a benchmark.

Availability and price

Assuming that Samsung follows a yearly launch schedule for the Galaxy Z Fold 5, the device should be unveiled and released in August-September 2023. However, a lot more evidence suggests that the phone could be unveiled earlier than usual, in late July, at an Unpacked event hosted in South Korea.

Pricing details are unknown, but judging by the launch price of the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the sequel should hit the shelves for around $1,799.

Downloads and resources

SamMobile readers have free access to official Samsung firmware files, which they can download from our website. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be added to the firmware list once the phone goes on sale and the first update gets released.

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