Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 could launch in 2020, but with a 2019 chipset

The Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 might be no more powerful than the original Fold, above (Image credit: TechRadar)

If you’re expecting top-tier specs from the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 then you might be in for a disappointment, as the latest leak suggests it will actually have a slightly dated chipset.

Specifically, Ishan Agarwal (a leaker with a decent track record) has told MySmartPrice that it will have a Snapdragon 855 chipset. Now, that’s not a bad chipset by any means, in fact it powers a number of flagships, including the original Samsung Galaxy Fold. But it has also now been superseded by both the Snapdragon 855 Plus and the Snapdragon 865.

So if true, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 is unlikely to match 2020’s flagships for power. Though this isn’t entirely surprising, as it has previously been rumored that the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 would be smaller than the original Fold. With these two things combined, Samsung could be looking to cut costs, as the original was priced well above most people’s budgets.

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We’d still take this chipset claim with a pinch of salt, but it would make a certain amount of sense, and would line up with price rumors. Though whether potential buyers would be tempted by a cheaper but more mid-range (specs-wise) Fold model remains to be seen, especially as it’s sure to still be expensive.

Agarwal additionally claimed that the Fold 2 (or whatever it launches as – he doesn’t refer to it by name) will have a 10MP front-facing camera. That could mean it has the same lens and sensor as the Samsung Galaxy Note 10, as that also uses a 10MP one.

And in other news, he states that production of the Samsung Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus (AKA the Samsung Galaxy S11 and S11 Plus) has started in India. This is no surprise since we’re expecting these phones to launch on February 11, but it suggests Samsung is on schedule.

We may well see the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 alongside them, so we should soon know for sure what chipset it uses.

James Rogerson

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.