But the Galaxy S23 family will not be Samsung’s only flagships for 2023. We also expect at least 2 foldables come Summer – the much-anticipated Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5. And despite the latter being more than half a year away, we are already getting the first rumors concerning Samsung’s notepad-style foldable.
According to a rather unreliable leak, Samsung will be introducing a much-anticipated feature to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 – namely, a built-in S pen. This information was first brought forward by The Pulse, and was subsequently covered by Sammobile in a dedicated article.
For reference, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 already features S Pen support, but the stylus has to be bought separately and cannot be stored within the device (as is the case with the Galaxy S22 Ultra). The potential addition of an S Pen tray has a number of implications.
Firstly, this will give the Galaxy Z Fold 5 a unique selling point in a market that is becoming more competitive than ever before. Secondly, and rather unfortunately, this will likely make the Galaxy Z Fold 5 weigh more than its predecessor.
The Fold 4 is heavy enough as it is. Going from 263 grams to 275 grams (according to the rumor) will drive many potential users away. Especially when companies like Oppo are making foldables that weigh less than an iPhone 14 Pro Max (i.e. the Oppo Find N2).
Even if this rumor turns out to be fake – which looks very likely at this point in time – Samsung will eventually have to think of a better way of integrating the S Pen into its Fold lineup. After all, the title of “King of Foldables” comes at a price.