Samsung has pretty much perfected the foldable phone in the last few years, and its upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is set to be even better than the current models in its flagship foldable lineup.
We don’t expect to see the device until fairly late 2023, so there aren’t many rumors yet – but we’ve heard a few tidbits, and you’ll find them all below, along with information on the possible release date and price of the phone.
We’ll also be updating this article whenever there are new leaks or rumors, so bookmark it if you want to stay up to date.
Also, at the bottom of this article, you will find a wish list of key things we want to see on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 to make sure it solves all Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 problems.
To the point
- What is this? Another flagship foldable phone from Samsung
- when is it coming out? Probably August 2023
- How much does it cost? Unknown but expect it to be very expensive
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 release date and price
It is not yet known when we can 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 its release, albeit a little earlier, on August 5.
It seems that in the case of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, probably early mid-August. All of these announcements also happened on Wednesday, so our best guess for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 release date is Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
As for the price, there’s no word on that yet, but the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $1,799 / £1,649 / AU$2,499, so a similar price point is possible.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 news and leaks
There have only been a handful of real Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 leaks so far, with the first pointing to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 foldable chipset.
It would be the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipsets that power many of the best Android phones in 2022, including the Galaxy Z Fold 4. So either a Gen 2 (in the kind of power supply of the Samsung Galaxy S23 series) or a Plus version always seemed likely.
The same source also suggests that the phone will have a triple-lens rear camera with a 50MP main sensor. That’s exactly what the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has – the other two sensors are a 12MP ultra-wide and a 10MP telephoto – so that could mean there aren’t many camera upgrades.
Second, the phone apparently has a waterdrop-shaped hinge, allowing the two sides of the device to lie completely flat against each other. Theoretically, this would improve the durability of the foldable. This has since been backed up by a second report that adds that the phone will be waterproof.
A third report also confirms this, but adds that the Z Fold 5 will only be tested for 300,000 folds, while some competing phones are tested for 400,000. It also suggests that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be slightly thinner and lighter than the Z Fold 4 , but it won’t have any significant spec upgrades.
Thirdly, a recent report suggests that the Fold 5 will be offered in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB variants, the same storage options Samsung has opted for with the Z Fold 4.
We’ve also heard that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will apparently have a 6.2-inch screen protector like its predecessor. The same source probably said the design will be the same as well, but the wording is ambiguous.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: what we want to see
For Samsung to make the best foldable phone, it needs to do five key things that we’ve highlighted below.
1. Same cameras as Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The cameras in the Galaxy Z Fold 4 are not bad at all, but they are not the best from Samsung, even though it is the company’s most expensive phone. Anyone who can save as much money as the Z Fold 4 is likely to want the best of the best, and the camera front just can’t handle 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 based on the former form factor is likely to have the company’s best snappers.
2. No visible folds
As impressive as Samsung’s foldable screens are, the company hasn’t broken a crease that’s visible and something you can feel when you slide your finger across the display.
It’s not a huge deal and it’s something most people will quickly get used to, but it’s an imperfection in a great screen, so we’d like to see Samsung successfully hide it in the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
3. Lower price
The biggest problem with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is simply how much it costs, as it is one of the most expensive phones in the world – almost making the iPhone 14 Pro Max look cheap in comparison.
It’s no wonder the price is high given the screen size and technology involved, but if this foldable line is ever going to be truly mainstream, the price needs to come down, and we hope Samsung starts lowering it with the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
4. Faster loading
Most Samsung phones charge quite slowly, and the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is no exception. It tops out at 25W wired or 15W wireless, both of which are significantly lower than other flagships like the 150W OnePlus 10T or the 120W Xiaomi 12 Pro.
We don’t expect or need Samsung to achieve this kind of charging power, but we’d like to at least see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 split the gap and offer around 60W-80W.
5. Bigger battery
In addition to faster charging, we would also like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 to have a larger battery. At 4,400mAh, the one in the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is mid-sized at best, and actually smaller than the batteries in many conventional phones.
But given that it has a huge foldable screen, it can do so with a particularly large battery. So at least we want 5,000mAh in the Z Fold 5 – the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has it, so it shouldn’t be too much.