Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 release date, price, specs and leaks

The Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 is expected to be the true successor of the Samsung Galaxy Fold. Released last year, the first Fold debuted to mixed reviews in spite of establishing itself as one of Samsung’s most innovative designs in years.

Since then, Samsung’s gone back to the drawing board, releasing a more accomplished folding phone in the form of the Galaxy Z Flip. But a Galaxy Fold sequel looks like it’s going to debut at Samsung’s next product launch, with the foldable phone shipping some time after that and sporting a brand new name.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2, as the new phone might be called, would keep the original book-fold design, but hopefully would also have some major upgrades over the original phone. It’ll still likely be a very expensive phone, but hopefully this time Samsung can prove it’s worth the money with new features and a better build quality.

Here’s everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, including its new name, possible price, release date and specs.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 latest news (Updated July 7)

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 name

Most rumors surrounding Samsung’s upcoming foldable phone refer to it as the Galaxy Fold 2, though a new report suggests that Samsung will go in a different direction. Citing a reliable source, Sammobile says the new phone will be called the Galaxy Z Fold 2, adopting a similar name to the Galaxy Z Flip.

Such a move wouldn’t be unexpected. Back in February when the Z Flip debuted, Samsung indicated that it would launch all future foldable phones under the Galaxy Z brand name.

Until we hear additional confirmation about the Galaxy Z Fold 2 name change, we’ll continue to refer to this phone as the Galaxy Fold 2 in this article to avoid confusion.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 release date

The Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 is expected to debut alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 this summer. Kernel source code for the Galaxy S20 confirms the existence of both phones, according to XDA Developers.

We know when Samsung’s next big product event will be — the company has scheduled an online-only Unpacked event for August 5 at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT. It’s all but certain the Note 20 will debut there, and Samsung will likely use the event to unveil other products.

Even if Samsung shows off new foldables on August 5, it may be some time before we see the Galaxy Fold 2. Leaker Max Weinbach guesses that the new foldable will ship in mid-September after seeing software builds for the Galaxy Fold 2. However, Jon Prosser believes the Fold 2 will ship at the same time as the Galaxy Note 20, which he thinks will happen on August 20. 

For what it’s worth, Korea’s ETNews thinks the Galaxy Fold 2 will ship in September, leaving the Note 20 to debut in August. Additional reports also point to a September release for the Galaxy Fold 2.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 price 

Considering the first Galaxy Fold started at $1,980, we’re expecting the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 to go for a similar premium. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip launched at a much lower price than the Fold at $1,380, but it’s a smaller device with a different feature set. It’s possible that Samsung may try and find a sweet spot between the two for the Fold 2. 

According to a series of tweets about Galaxy Fold 2 specs from Ross Young, there will be a slight price cut for the new foldable. Young estimates the price will be between $1,780 and $1,980, with $1,880 to $1,895 likely being the price Samsung settles on. Twitter leaker Riccolo tweeted a price of €2,000, which would be in line with last year’s model.

Samsung may offer multiple Galaxy Fold models this year, and one rumor is that a Galaxy Fold e is in the pipeline with a price of $1,100. That would be nearly $900 less than the original Fold, However, you would see some trade-offs at that price, including possibly a smaller cover display.

Before you start setting aside money for a Galaxy Fold 2, you might be able to pick up the current model at a discounted rate. Ross Young says that Samsung will sell a Galaxy Fold Special Edition for $1,099 this month to clear out stock before the new foldable arrives. It sounds like the only thing new about this Special Edition model of the original Fold is its lower price. (The tweet mentioning a Fold Special Edition has since been deleted, and it’s possible that Samsung’s stab at a lower-cost foldable will instead be called the Galaxy Fold Lite.)

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 design

From the small description given by Max Weinbach, the Galaxy Fold 2 sounds very handsome. It will apparently have a choice of materials, either an aluminum and glass version or a stainless steel and ceramic version, and be finished off in either blue, silver, gold, pink or black.

On the inside, Samsung included a notch to make room for the internal cameras, but this looks to be changing. Some rumors claim that Samsung will be bringing its “Infinity-O” punch-hole selfie camera design to this phone too, after using it on the Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy S20 and Z Flip. Others claim Samsung’s going to use an under-display camera, negating the need for any kind of black space on the screen. Whichever one turns out to be true, it’ll mean there’s even more display space to enjoy than before.

Ice Universe shared a Galaxy Fold 2 render that illustrates what the phone could look like when unfolded. The most interesting thing about the render is the fact that it places the punch-hole camera cutout off center, instead of being off to the right as in other designs.

Another new render courtesy of leaker Benjamin Geskin also envisions what the Galaxy Fold 2 might look like with a bigger exterior display. Whereas the second panel on the original model was comically small and set inside massive bezels, it’s believed that Samsung will push that screen all the way to the edges on its next foldable, making for a much more practical and visually-striking design. Rumors suggest that cover display will measure 6.23 inches from corner to corner; the one in the original Fold spanned just 4.6 inches.

One concept design we hope not to see when the Galaxy Fold 2 ships comes from Pigtou, which shows off a foldable phone with no exterior screen other than a long display strip. It’s reminiscent of the same display on the outside of the Galaxy Z Flip, which is there for notifications and to serve as a viewfinder when you take photos. Giving up an external screen on a device this large seems like a bad trade-off, though.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 screen size

The first-generation Fold has two displays: a 4.6-inch one on the front, and one across the interior that’s 7.3 inches when unfolded. 

The front display will be an “Infinity V-Display”, says Max Weinbach, which is the official name Samsung gives to its water-drop notch designs. Weinbach originally said that the Fold 2 would be a little larger when opened up, measuring 8 inches across. It will also be made of Samsung’s “ultra-thin glass” that it debuted on the Z Flip. The name is slightly misleading, as the UTG material is actually a glass core coated in plastic, but it should mean it’s still a bit tougher than the Galaxy Fold’s display.

ETNews backed up that claim, reporting that the Galaxy Fold 2’s display will measure 8 inches across, compared to the 7.3 inch span of the first model. However, the same story claims Samsung expects to make the device lighter by about 1.5 ounces, which would appear to be at odds with the size increase.

More recent rumors from Ice Universe give a different size for the Galaxy Fold 2 display. In this rumor, the new foldable phone will open up to reveal a 7.7-inch display with minimal bezels (3.8mm).

Galaxy Fold 2 leak – Front Display •Size: 6.23”•Resolution: 2267 x 819•Refresh Rate: 60Hz•Backplane Technology – LTPS•Notch/Hole/UPC – Hole#Samsung #GalaxyFold #foldableApril 20, 2020

As for the front display that you’ll use when the Galaxy Fold 2 is folded up, it’s going to be larger than the 4.6-inch screen on the original foldable. That’s according to Display Supply Chain Consultant founder Ross Young who tweeted that the new front display will be 6.23 inches with a 2267 x 819 resolution.

Young also forecasts a more moderate increase to the inside display — 7.59 inches, with a 2213 x 1689-pixel resolution. Even better, the Galaxy Fold 2 sounds like it’s going to adopt one of the best features of the Galaxy S20 lineup and feature an interior screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. (The exterior preview screen will stick with the more conventional 60Hz rate.)

The same report that claimed the Galaxy Fold 2 was ready for mass production also contained some potentially bad news about the phone’s screen: It may not have the same layer of Ultra Thin Glass that made the Galaxy Z Flip feel much more durable than Samsung’s previous foldable phone. Samsung is reportedly preparing a CPI display for the Galaxy Fold 2 if it can’t get Ultra Thin Glass to work at the required volume.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 cameras

The original Fold was no slouch when it came to camera hardware, since it had six total camera sensors around its body: a 12MP wide-angle sensor, a 16MP ultra-wide sensor and a 12MP telephoto sensor on the back, a 10MP camera on the front and a 10MP main and 8MP depth sensor duo on the inside. All of these produced good photos, but nothing class-leading.

There’s a good chance the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 could see a notable improvement to its cameras, however. Max Weinbach claims that the Fold 2 will use the Galaxy S20 Plus’ camera array, which would be a 12MP main sensor, a 3x optical zoom 64MP telephoto sensor, a 12MP ultrawide sensor and a time-of-flight camera to aid the others.  Ross Young tweeted similar camera specs, adding that those lenses are likely to have dual optical image stabilization.

That already sounds pretty good, but we’ve also heard rumors of the Fold 2 using Samsung’s enormous 108MP camera, which appeared on the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

Samsung tends to use 10MP sensors for its phones’ front-facing cameras, which is exactly what it used on the original Fold. So until we hear anything different, that’s what we’ll assume will appear on the Fold 2 also. What we have heard rumored is that this camera will appear in a punch-hole that will avoid taking up as much space on the display as the notch did. Max Weinbach says it’s even possible the front sensor will be a sub-display camera, hidden under the panel unless you’re using it.

The aesthetics are somewhat irrelevant compared to the main design area that most people will care about: can it withstand normal use without breaking apart like the ill-fated first version of the original Fold? 

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 performance

The Galaxy Fold used a Snapdragon 855 system-on-chip, and as you would expect, the Galaxy Fold 2 will use the most recent chip in the same series, the Snapdragon 865. That’s at least according to Max Weinbach, but he’s got a proven track record of accurate leaks, so that helps back up our educated guesses.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 5G

After debuting a completely 5G-ready range with the S20, we expect Samsung to offer 5G on the Fold 2 as it did on the original Fold. This is exactly what Max Weinbach has said too, so there’s little doubt there will be at least a 5G-compatible Fold 2 model you can select.

My dudes… we got Galaxy Fold 2 software builds starting! VZW is here too which probably means the Fold 2 supports mmWave, unlike Z Flip 5G. Wonder if it’ll be unlocked only for Verizon or if they’ll carry it. pic.twitter.com/0aFkDIoy89June 8, 2020

In a tweet that offers evidence of Galaxy Fold 2 software builds, Weinbach noticed that Verizon is specifically listed. That could mean the Galaxy Fold 2 will specifically support Verizon’s mmWave-based 5G network, which requires specific antennas in a phone.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 battery and charging

After using a 4,380 mAh battery on the first Fold, we hope that Samsung finds room to squeeze in a little more capacity on the Fold 2. With an even larger display, it’ll need all the power it can get.

What we definitely want to see improved is the charging speed. The Galaxy Fold charged at a mediocre 15W, but the Fold 2 really ought to make use of Samsung’s new 25W and 45W charging protocols. However, there are competing rumors. 

Some say that the Fold 2 will stick with 15W charging, while others say the upgrade to 25W and above will be happening after all. We might be able to disarm the former rumors with the fact that before we knew its actual name, the Galaxy Z Flip, which does use 15W charging, was thought to be called the Galaxy Fold 2. Even so, we may need to prepare to be disappointed with the charging ability of the Fold 2.

The Fold could wirelessly charge too, and use Samsung’s “PowerShare” reverse wireless charging to give that power back to a compatible accessory. We’d expect this feature to come to the Fold 2 also, but we hope that Samsung manages to up the wattage of both of these for more rapid charging when away from a power cable.

Galaxy Fold 2 S-Pen

According to leaker Max Weinbach, the Note 20 won’t be the only phone using Samsung’s stylus. Including an S-Pen with the Fold 2 makes a lot of sense considering the size of its display makes it ideal for note taking or drawing. If Samsung brings across the features for the S-Pen it debuted on the Galaxy Note 10, then the Fold 2 will be able to add remote selfies and air gestures to its box of tricks, which could make it the most versatile foldable we’ve seen so far.

However, a more recent report from Korea’s The Elec notes that the Galaxy Fold 2 may not offer S Pen support thanks to the phone’s UTG display. The report says that a Galaxy Fold 2 with S Pen “is unlikely to be seen this year.” That’s down to the claim that “Samsung Electronics has not yet developed a cover window that can fold the screen and endure the use of a stylus.” 

Simply put, Samsung has supposedly not worked out a way to make a display that is flexible enough to be foldable and yet durable enough to withstand the pressure of an S Pen in time for the Galaxy Fold 2. 

But the report explains that Samsung has been researching technology to fold the display while increasing the thickness of the UTG so that a stylus can be used with future Fold phones. Given Samsung is reportedly working with Gorilla Glass makers Corning to do just that, we can expect an S Pen to come with a Galaxy Fold 3.

I just got word that Samsung will likely be launching the true Galaxy Fold successor in Q2 of this year. If I’ve conglomerates all the different reports correctly, it should have an 8″ display, 108MP camera, ultra thin glass, SPen, Snapdragon 865 and 5G.January 24, 2020

Weinbach has also said that the Fold 2 will use a new kind of S-Pen, which may mean none of the Note 10’s special abilities will transfer across, but could also be interpreted to mean it has some of its own unique features. 

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2: what we want to see

After a tumultuous start to its foldable phone business with the Galaxy Fold launch, Samsung hopes to keep up the momentum it gained from the Galaxy Z Flip. Here’s how we think it can do that with the Galaxy Fold 2.

A sturdier frame: This one’s obvious if you remember the original Fold. Although you have to accept that foldables will be more frail than an equivalent non-folding phone, we still want any foldable to be as strong as possible. Toughen up the display, give the folding mechanism extra protection from debris and make sure the whole thing feels good to hold like a normal phone rather than some kind of fragile 5G vase.

A new home for the S-Pen: Samsung’s stuck with including styluses with some of its phones for a long time after other companies abandoned the idea. But styluses are still popular with tablet users, and since the unfolded display of the Galaxy Fold approaches the size of a small tablet, it would make perfect sense to let it work with an S-Pen. Besides, users are paying enough already — they deserve an extra accessory in the box.

The best cameras Samsung can install: After languishing for some time, Samsung finally seems to be making big strides with its camera technology. Just look at the Galaxy S20 Ultra’s quad rear camera array with its 108MP main sensor and 10x optical zoom sensor. The Fold 2 may not get all of these photography toys if it gets the Galaxy S20 Plus’ cameras like the rumors say, but users still deserve to get a great photography experience from their foldable even if cameras aren’t the main selling point.