We should see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 around the middle of this year, and new leaks give us some idea of the design improvements we can expect compared to the 2022 versions of these foldable devices.
Prolific informant Ice Universe has landed on Chinese social networks Weibo (opens in a new tab) (pass android police (opens in a new tab)) and Twitter (opens in a new tab) (pass notebook check (opens in a new tab)) to confirm that both phones will feature a waterdrop hinge — essentially, the sides will sit flat against each other when folded (a closed hinge looks like a drop of water from the side).
In the case of the Galaxy Z Fold 5, the device is apparently a few millimeters thinner compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 — specifically, we’re talking about a maximum thickness of about 13mm, not 16mm. So far, We don’t have the dimensions of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 yet.
Confirmed: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 and Flip5 will use water drop hinges and support IPX8 waterproof.February 24, 2023
also waterproof
In addition to looking better, switching to a waterdrop hinge should make the foldable more reliable and durable. The technology is already in some phones from the Chinese manufacturer, so it has been tested in the wild.
This type of hinge usually comes at the expense of water resistance, but according to this source, that won’t be the case here – apparently the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 are able to survive submersion at a certain depth for a certain amount of time.
It’s worth remembering that these rumors have been reported before, so this isn’t entirely new information. However, having an often correct informant repeat it means we are now more likely to take it seriously.
Analysis: We’ve come a long way
To Samsung’s credit, we’re now at a stage where foldable phone durability isn’t really an issue anymore. Its foldable phones have gotten more reliable for several years in a row, and it looks like this year’s two phones will continue that trend.
Well, these foldable phones are still pretty expensive — but you’d expect that given the complex technology involved. These prices are expected to come down over time as manufacturing processes improve.
This of course also brings more competitors. Rumors have been swirling about the existence of a foldable iPhone, and the Google Pixel Fold could arrive sooner, perhaps even sometime this year.
These new entrants will compete with Samsung, which already has a five-year head start on foldable devices. With the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5, we’ll see how far they can go before Apple and Google catch up.
