Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 release date, rumours and features

(Pocket-lint) – Samsung revealed the Galaxy Z Fold 2 alongside the Note 20 during an event in August 2020, followed by full details at the beginning of September 2020, but there have already been rumours surrounding the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

This feature rounds up everything we have heard so far about the Galaxy Z Fold 3, including what features we might see, when it is expected to be released and what it might look like.

Release date and price

• June/July 2021
• Likely around £1800/$2000

The original Galaxy Fold was revealed at Mobile World Congress 2019, followed by a “fixed” model at Berlin consumer electronics show IFA in 2019. The second generation was then revealed in September 2020, so there isn’t a pattern for the Galaxy Z Fold as there is with Samsung’s other devices, like the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note. 

According to rumours, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 could appear in June 2021. While at first this may seem a little strange, Mobile World Congress is scheduled to start on 28 June 2021, making it entirely plausible. That said, July has also been a suggestion, putting the middle of the year as a strong contender for launch.

In terms of price, we’d expect it to sit within the same region as the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which costs £1799 in the UK and $1999 in the US so if you’re after Samsung’s next folding flagship, it might be time to start saving.

Design

• Vertical fold
• Premium build
• IP rating?
• S Pen compatibility?

We are expecting the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 to adopt the same book-style vertical fold as the original Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 2, reserving the horizontal fold for the Galaxy Z Flip series. We also expect to see the hinge offering multiple angles again, like the Z Fold 2 and Z Flip do.

There have been rumours to suggest the device will be compatible with the S Pen – like the Galaxy S21 Ultra. This could see a slot built into the device like the Note, or it could just mean the S Pen will work if bought separately, like the S21 Ultra. S Pen compatibility rumours surfaced before the Galaxy Z Fold 2 was revealed too however, but it was thought the folding display couldn’t accommodate the pressures the stylus would exert. 

There was also talk of waterproofing before the Z Fold 2 arrived so perhaps we will see an IP rating on the Z Fold 3. Otherwise, we expect a solid build with some refinements over the 2020 model, possibly with a similar rear camera housing to the Galaxy S21 range.

Display

• External and internal 
• 120Hz refresh rate on internal likely

We’d expect the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 to have a large flexible display inside, as well as an external display when folded, as the previous models have done. 

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a 7.6-inch main display that has a 120Hz refresh rate, coupled with a 6.2-inch exterior display. There is a punch hole camera on the front, though there have been a couple of rumours indicating the Z Fold 3 may have an under-display camera, which might allow for a larger external display than the Z Fold 2.

It’s also claimed the main display will be 7.55-inches instead of 7.59-inches, and the cover display will be 6.21-inches instead of 6.23-inches. 

Hardware and specs

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 likely
• 12GB RAM/256GB storage
• 5G

Expect flagship hardware under the hood of the Galaxy Z Fold 3. No rumours have suggested what exact specs we might see on the Z Fold 3 but we suspect the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 will be under the hood, along with a good amount of RAM – probably at least 12GB – and at least 256GB of storage. 

There’s no word on battery capacity as yet, but the Z Fold 2 has a 4500mAh battery so we would expect the Z Fold 3 to have similar, possibly a little larger. 

In terms of connectivity, both the original Fold and the Z Fold 2 were 5G enabled, so we would expect the same for the Z Fold 3.

Camera

• Punch hole front
• Under-display camera?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a triple rear camera and a dual punch hole front camera. The rear camera is made up of a 12-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel telephoto sensor and 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. 

The front cameras are both 10-megapixel sensors.

It is not yet known what the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will offer in the camera department, but as mentioned previously, a report has suggested Samsung is hoping to offer an under display camera. We expect to know more about the cameras and features offered when the Galaxy S21 launches – expected early 2021.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 rumours: What’s happened so far?

Here are the rumours surrounding the Galaxy Z Fold 3 so far.

8 February 2021: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 could launch in July

Leaker Ice Universe claimed the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 2/3 could launch in July – which would put the launch of the next foldable devices in the middle of the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note launches.

Samsung Display is said to be looking at developing slidable and rollable displays in a bid to cement its leadership in the foldable displaymarket.

15 January 2021: Samsung is bringing S Pen support to other product categories

Samsung confirmed the expansion of the S Pen support to the Galaxy S21 Ultra wasn’t a one off: “We’ve made the bold decision to expand the S Pen experience to Galaxy S21 Ultra, and plan to expand the S Pen experience across additional device categories in the future.” That sounds unequivocally like we can expect to see S Pen support more widely. 

In the short term, that means that the next iteration of the Galaxy Fold could well work with it.

24 December 2020: Displays to reduce for Galaxy Z Fold 3

According to leaker Ross Young, who has a good track record, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will see slightly reduced displays in order ro accommodate the S Pen rumoured to be coming to the device.

My Xmas leaks – Galaxy Fold 3 – main display shrinks from 7.59″ to 7.55″. Cover display goes from 6.23″ to 6.21″. Need more space for S Pen.
Galaxy Z Flip 3/Flip Lite – grows slightly from 6.67″ to 6.70″. 120Hz and LTPO on the Z Flip 3.

— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) December 24, 2020

23 November 2020: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 could be scheduled for June 2021, with S Pen support

Ajou News reported that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 would arrive in June 2021, coupled with S Pen support. An under-display camera was also mentioned in the report.

7 October 2020: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 could have light up hinge

LetsGoDigital reported that Samsung had filed a patent titled “Galaxy Z Fold with Light Indicator” in March 2019, granted in Ocotber 2020. The site made a number of mock up renders suggesting what the Galaxy Z Fold 3 could look like if it adopted the technology in the patent.

Writing by Britta O’Boyle.