Credit: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
Update, June 25, 2020 (02:03 PM ET): We have updated this article with some new Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 rumors. We’ve got some alleged design information as well as a particular feature the Fold 2 is likely to not have. Read on for more!
Original article: The original Samsung Galaxy Fold certainly made waves — both good and bad — which has led to a fair amount of interest and rumors around the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2. For all the good things about the original Fold, its shocking price tag kept most from being interested in picking up the device. Add in a very rocky launch, and it’s easy to understand why buyers may have been apprehensive at first.
Samsung has had time to sort out those issues with the upcoming Galaxy Fold 2. The firm has now shown the ability to make a rather exceptional foldable phone with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, and the early sales success of said device has demonstrated that people are willing to buy a folding phone. The time might be just right for Samsung to drop the next great foldable smartphone.
We’re going to take a look at all of the Galaxy Fold 2 rumors we’ve heard so far. We will update this page as new rumors emerge. Make sure to check back often to see the latest developments from Samsung’s second-generation foldable phone.
Samsung Galaxy Fold 2: Name and release date
Credit: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
Samsung tends to be reasonably predictable with its naming conventions, so we’re confident that the next device in the Fold line will be called the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2. The company could decide to change things up and go with a letter or something different, but we’re leaning towards Fold 2.
As far as a release date goes, Samsung did reveal a window for the device in its financial report. The company cited a “new foldable” coming in the second half of the year. Considering the original Samsung Galaxy Fold launched in the second half of 2019 (September 6, 2019, to be specific), it would stand to reason that the follow-up would come around the same time.
Heres what display industry insider Ross Young has to say about the potential announcement:
More Galaxy Fold 2 Leaks:
Launch Date – We think it will be announced with the Galaxy Note Series which has been happening annually in August since 2015. We would expect shipments to start from September— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) April 27, 2020
Unfortunately, you might not be able to actually get the phone in August. Young also says that the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 probably won’t enter full production until that month, which means it likely wouldn’t hit store shelves until September, at the earliest. It may be another situation where Samsung shows us the foldable during a big event but then tells us we’ll be able to actually buy it later.
Design
Credit: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
As far as the design of the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, we’d expect an overall similar form factor to the original Samsung Galaxy Fold, with a few notable exceptions.
First, the Galaxy Fold 2 is tipped to drop the large camera notch for a more familiar solution. It’s purely speculation at this point, but it’s likely Samsung wasn’t happy with the unbecoming look of that design. Either way, we can expect to see a punch-hole camera in the upcoming phone, which some users might consider an improvement over the original Fold’s design. For what it’s worth, sometimes-reliable leaker Ice Universe backs up this claim.
We’d expect the device to feature both a large internal display that folds and a smaller external display, just like on the original fold. However, it’s very possible Samsung could increase the size of the external display, possibly even giving it more “normal” proportions.
According to SamMobile, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 will be available in both black and brown color options. There’s no word yet on a silver color option like we saw on the original Galaxy Fold.
Rumored display specs
Credit: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
Since the main selling point of the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 will be the displays, it’s not surprising that a bulk of the leaks we’ve seen are related to either the internal or external displays.
So far, rumors point to the Galaxy Fold 2 possibly having a 6.23-inch screen on the outside with an impressive 2,267 x 819 resolution. That display is likely to come with a 60Hz refresh rate.
As we reported, though, the main display on the inside could come in at a whopping 7.59 inches. The original Samsung Galaxy Fold had a 7.3-inch internal display, so it looks like the display of the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 could be a bit bigger. Instead of 2,152 x 1,536, the new Fold 2 will possibly have a 2,213 x 1,689 display.
The main display will be quite large, coming in at 7.59 inches.
The most exciting aspect of the internal display is the rumored 120Hz refresh rate. That high refresh rate could really improve the performance of the display and could end up being one of the device’s biggest selling points. Whether for gaming or general usage, a 120Hz display is easily one of the most substantial upgrades a phone’s screen can get, so the prospect of having it on a screen that’s well over 7-inches is exciting.
Internal specs and features
Credit: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
As one might expect from a high-end 2020 smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 is tipped to feature 5G connectivity. With mobile data clearly moving toward the speed and performance offered by 5G, it seems all but necessary for Samsung to include it with its latest foldable.
The camera specs for the upcoming Galaxy Fold 2 have also leaked, and it appears that the device could feature the same camera system as the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus. That means it could come with a 12MP wide-angle sensor, a 64MP telephoto lens, a 12MP ultra-wide shooter, and a VGA time-of-flight sensor. In terms of smartphone cameras, those aren’t the best specs you can find, but it’s a solid array of lenses that’s versatile for a variety of photography purposes.
Rumors point to the Galaxy Fold 2 having some interesting specs. It might not be the total flagship experience you would expect.
Interestingly, an early report suggested the Galaxy Fold 2 could come with a Snapdragon 855 chipset instead of the new 865. Since Samsung started development on the phone several months ago, it’s possible the company didn’t have access to the latest chip before it needed to finalize its plans.
However, it’s also possible Samsung could add in the Snapdragon 865 ahead of the official Fold 2 release. Since the phone would practically need to be 5G-ready for it to stand with other 2020 flagships, it would make way more sense for the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 to come with a 5G-ready chipset rather than attach a 5G modem to last year’s processor. We’ll need to wait and see, though.
Finally, it seems that the Galaxy Fold 2 might not support the S Pen. Allegedly, this is due to the UTG being too delicate to support the high-pressure taps of a stylus.
Samsung Galaxy Fold 2: Price and availability
Rumors of the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 price could have buyers feeling a little skittish. According to Ross Young, the device will sell for between $1,780 and $1,980. That means it’ll sell within the same range as the original Samsung Galaxy Fold.
That high price was one of the Fold’s biggest detriments: buyers just didn’t seem to feel comfortable shelling out close to $2,000 for a yet unproven technology. If the Galaxy Fold 2 does end up at the $1,780 price point, that will make it $200 less than the original, which is certainly better, but still more expensive than most flagship phones on the market.
It’s tough to say in which countries the company will choose to release the Galaxy Fold 2. It’s a niche device that doesn’t have the same level of appeal as a phone from the Note or S line. However, we’d expect the phone to launch in the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, and India since those are the countries in which Samsung released the original Fold.
