Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: latest rumors and everything we know so far
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In recent years, Samsung has almost perfected the foldable phone and the expectation is that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 from 2023 will be even better than the current models.
We don’t expect to see this phone until quite late in 2023, so there aren’t many rumors about it yet – but we’ve heard a few things, and you’ll find them all below, along with information on the possible release date and price.
We’ll also update this article whenever new leaks or rumors emerge, so bookmark it if you want to stay up to date.
In addition, at the bottom of this article, you will find a wish list of the top things we want from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, to ensure that all Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 issues are resolved.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? Samsung’s next flagship foldable phone
- When is it out? Probably August 2023
- How much is it? Unknown but expect it to be very expensive
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 release date and price
It is not yet known when we will see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, but the Galaxy Z Fold 4 was announced on August 10, 2022 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 was unveiled on August 11, 2021. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 was also announced in August of the release year, albeit slightly earlier on August 5.
So early to mid-August seems likely for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. These announcements also all happened on a Wednesday, so our best estimate for a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 release date is Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
As for price, there’s no word on that either, but the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $1,799 / £1,649 / AU$2,499, so a similar price is possible.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 news and leaks
There have only been a few genuine Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 leaks so far, with the first hinting that the foldable will have a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
That would be the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipsets that power many of the 2022 Android flagships, including the Galaxy Z Fold 4. So the Gen 2 or a Plus version of it seemed always likely.
The same source also suggests that the phone will have a triple rear camera with a 50 MP main sensor. That’s exactly what the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has – with the other two sensors being a 12MP ultra-wide and a 10MP telephoto – so this may mean there aren’t many upgrades to the camera.
Secondly, the phone is apparently getting a water drop hinge, which allows the two sides of the device to lie completely flat against each other. That would, in theory, improve the durability of the foldable.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: what we want to see
For Samsung to make the ultimate foldable phone, there are five key things it needs to do, which we’ve highlighted below.
1. The same cameras as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 aren’t bad at all, but they’re not Samsung’s best despite being the company’s most expensive phone. Anyone who can spare the kind of money that the Z Fold 4 costs is probably going to want the best of the best, and camera-wise, that just won’t cut it.
So for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, we want the phone to match the camera setup of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which will probably have the best snappers from the company based on previous form.
2. No visible crease
As impressive as Samsung’s foldable screens are, the company hasn’t cracked the crease, it’s visible and something you can feel when you swipe the screen.
This isn’t a big deal and it’s something most people will quickly get used to, but it’s a blemish in an otherwise excellent display, so we’d like to see Samsung successfully hide it on the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
3. A lower price
The main problem with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is simply how much it costs, as this is one of the most expensive phones in the world – making the iPhone 14 Pro Max look almost cheap by comparison.
It’s no surprise that the price is high given the size of the screen and technology involved, but if this foldable line is ever to really go mainstream, the price has to come down, and we hope Samsung starts lowering it with the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
4. Faster charging
Most Samsung phones charge rather slowly and the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is no exception. It comes in at 25W wired or 15W wireless, both of which are much lower than other flagships like the 150W OnePlus 10T or the 120W Xiaomi 12 Pro.
We don’t expect or need Samsung to reach those sorts of levels of charging power, but we’d at least like to see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 share the difference, offering around 60W-80W.
5. A bigger battery
In addition to faster charging, we would also like to see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 have a larger battery. At 4,400mAh, the one in the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is mid-sized at best, and even smaller than the batteries in many conventional phones.
But since this has a huge folding screen, it could use a particularly large battery. So we want at least a 5,000mAh in the Z Fold 5 – the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has that, so it shouldn’t be too much to ask.