The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 could be one of the most exciting phones of the year, as Samsung’s third-gen foldable is likely to be a polished, feature-packed handset, with none of the teething problems that initial foldables had.
Of course, nothing is certain just yet, but a lot of things have been rumored, so we have a good idea of what to expect from the upcoming handset when it lands, likely in August alongside the cheaper Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Watch 4.
Below, we’ve highlighted the five biggest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 leaks so far – these are mostly big or unexpected changes, and with one exception would all probably be good news too.
1. It could have an under-display camera
The days of punch-hole selfie cameras are hopefully numbered, with under-display cameras likely to be the next big thing in smartphone camera tech. Already we’ve seen the likes of the ZTE Axon 20 5G launch with such a snapper, but so far no big names have made the jump.
That could change with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 though, as it’s widely rumored that this will be the first Samsung phone to have an under-display selfie camera.
That said, this camera might not be a perfected form of the tech, with a leak suggesting that there might be a visible mosaic pattern on the screen above the lens, and that photo quality might not be up to Samsung’s usual standards.
Still, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 likely won’t be short of conventional cameras either, and a slight mosaic effect is probably better than a cut-out in the screen.
2. Stylus support is likely
Perhaps the thing we’ve heard most about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is that it may support Samsung’s S Pen stylus. This is no real surprise given that the company has already launched the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with stylus support, and is rumored not to be launching a new Galaxy Note this year.
So we’d say this is very likely, especially given how many different sources have pointed to it. Better yet, one leak suggests that there will be a slot in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 for the S Pen, which is something the S21 Ultra doesn’t have – you have to buy a special case or risk losing the stylus.
3. It could be a lot cheaper
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is sure to be very expensive, there’s no way around that. But it might at least be significantly cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 was.
That’s according to sources speaking to SamMobile, who claim that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 could be up to 20% cheaper than its predecessor, meaning it might start from around $1,600 / £1,440 / AU$2,400. Still a lot of money then, but edging slightly closer to the price of a typical top-end smartphone.
4. Battery life might disappoint
One less promising thing we’ve heard about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is that it might have a smaller battery than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. That phone has a 4,500mAh battery, which already isn’t especially big for a foldable phone, but according to one source the Z Fold 3 will have a 4,380mAh battery, while another leak suggests it could be even smaller at 4,275mAh.
That might not mean the life is terrible. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 managed all-day life in our tests, and the Z Fold 3 might have slightly smaller screens and a more efficient chipset, so a lower capacity could go further.
Still, it’s not promising, and nor is the charging speed, which is rumored to be 25W – that’s not slow, but it’s well below what many premium phones now offer.
5. It might resist water
One small but potentially very important upgrade that’s been rumored is water resistance, with sources claiming that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 will have an IP rating.
IP ratings are applied to products which have some amount of water and dust resistance, though exactly what rating and how much resistance the Z Fold 3 might have is unclear.
Still, any amount would be an upgrade on the Galaxy Z Fold 2, and would also be desirable, since this is sure to be a very expensive phone, so you’ll want it to be able to survive a splash, spill or bit of rain.
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