Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2: Release date, price, specs and biggest upgrades

It’s time to see what Samsung has in store with the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Samsung unveils all the details about its new foldable tomorrow (Sept. 1) as it looks to avoid the missteps it made with the original.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is this year’s follow-up to the Galaxy Fold, featuring a design that opens up to reveal a larger display inside. And while the Fold 2 looks a lot like its predecessor, Samsung promises a number of upgrades, particularly when it comes to the phone’s durability.

Here’s what we know about the Galaxy Z Fold 2, and what we’re expecting to hear during the phone’s online launch event. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 price and release date

The Galaxy Z Fold 2’s appearance at Samsung’s August 5 Unpacked event was merely a preview for the folding phone sequel. Samsung plans to release more information about the Fold 2 tomorrow (Sept. 1). 

Here’s how to watch the Galaxy Z Fold 2 launch, with the event starting at 10 a.m. EDT/7 a.m. PDT. Samsung will host the Galaxy Z Fold 2 live stream in its Samsung Newsroom, though we’d expect a feed to show up on YouTube sometime before tomorrow’s event.

Galaxy Z Fold 2 pre-orders will start Sept. 1 as well. According to a leak from Evan Blass, the release date will be Sept. 18.

What price the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will cost is still a mystery, though we wouldn’t expect much of a discount from the $1,980 that Samsung charged for the original fold. At Unpacked, Samsung billed the new fold as a “game-changer for premium high-tech experiences” and that use of the word “premium” would seem to confirm a still-lofty price for the phone.

Back in the spring, display expert Ross Young suggested the Galaxy Fold sequel would cost between $1,780 and $1,980, with $1,880 to $1,895 likely being the price Samsung settles on. A more recent rumor out of Korea listed a price of 2.39 million won, which translates to around $2,000.

However, the lastest price leak suggests the Galaxy Z Fold 2 could cost £1,799 in the U.K. That will make it notably cheaper than the £1,899 Galaxy Fold. These prices translate to the Galaxy Z Fold 2 costing $100 less than its predecessor in the U.S. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 design

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 features a new hinge — this one can stay open at multiple angles, much like the Galaxy Z Flip Samsung introduced earlier this year. In fact, based on a video showcasing Galaxy Z Fold 2 features, it appears that the new phone is getting the Z Flip’s Flex mode in which you can open the phone at a 90-degree angle and have the screen split in two, with different functions appearing on different halves.

That hinge on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is more resilient, Samsung says, and fibers underneath the hinge can sweep away any dust and debris that gets into the device.

The original Fold had a plastic screen, but the Fold 2 will incorporate a layer of ultra thin glass, again a feature lifted from the Galaxy Z Flip. That should make using the Galaxy Z Fold 2 more enjoyable to use, while also making the screen more durable.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 has gotten thinner — it’s now 6mm. And the device will be available in Mystic Black or the same Mystic Bronze introduced with the Galaxy Note 20.

Even though Samsung has announced the Galaxy Z Fold 2, new images of the foldable phone have leaked. And they reveal a rather hefty camera bump. Given the trio of rear cameras the phone will have, it’s no surprise that it’ll have a chunky camera module, But the second-generation Fold looks rather slick overall, so we’d have hoped Samsung would have kept the rear camera module rather flush with the phone’s chassis.

A video from a Chinese YouTube channel shows off the Galaxy Z Fold 2 from every angle. It’s a very highly-produced hands-on film, detailing the device’s various features and leaving nothing to the imagination. From this clip we can see how the new model’s design compares to that of its predecessor, from its considerably larger exterior display to its new free-stop hinge and ultra-thin glass-shrouded folding screen.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 display

There’s a lot more screen to the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Inside, Samsung has gotten rid of the notch housing the interior cameras, opting instead for an Infinity-O display with a punch-hole cutout for the camera. That increases interior screen size to 7.6 inches from 7.3 inches on the original. That screen will have the same 120Hz refresh rate technology that Samsung introduced with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

But the bigger screen changes are on the outside of the phone. The original Fold featured a small 4.6-inch display on the outer cover, letting people use the phone without having to open it up. However, users told Samsung they turned to that screen as much as the interior one, so Samsung increased the size to a full cover display that offers 6.2 inches of screen real estate.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 cameras

Early on, there was some talk that the Galaxy Z Fold 2 would utilize the same cameras originally seen in the Galaxy S20 or Note 20 phones, perhaps even including the Ultra models’ 108-megapixel main cameras. However, the latest reports from various sources indicate the Fold 2’s triple-camera stack will be more ordinary.

XDA Developers reports the new Fold will employ three 12MP lenses on the back: one wide-angle, one ultrawide and one telephoto, at f/1.8, 2.2 and 2.4 apertures, respectively. Both outside as well as in, you’ll find the same 10MP front-facing shooter.

Because the Galaxy Z Fold 2 lacks the Note 20 Ultra’s 108MP primary camera and 5x optical zoom lens, you won’t be able to take Space Zoom shots with 50x or 100x power. That said, the Fold 2’s trio of perspectives will make it extremely versatile as a mobile camera, and besides, megapixels aren’t everything. For what its worth, the iPhone 11 Pro features three 12MP lenses, in a similar configuration to those in the new Fold, and it still takes fantastic shots.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 processor and 5G

Samsung also hasn’t told us what processor will power the Galaxy Z Fold 2, though all signs either point to the Snapdragon 865 or the slightly improved Snapdragon 865 Plus. Those are Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line chipsets, and last year’s Fold used the then cutting-edge Snapdragon 855.

Either variant of the Snapdragon 865 would likely include 5G compatibility. 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 Z Fold 2 will specifically support Verizon’s mmWave-based 5G network, which requires specific antennas in a phone.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 battery and charging

Due to the Fold’s design, Samsung actually puts two smaller batteries inside its foldable phone, drawing on power from both sources. And while it’s promised all day battery life for the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung hasn’t told us how big of a power pack it plans to use in the new phone.

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. That’s why we’re a bit puzzled by an ETNews specs report, which claims the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will have a smaller battery at 4,365 mAh.

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. Rumor mongers are divided on whether Samsung sticks with 15W charging for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 or upgrades charging speed.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 outlook

The key issue with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will be to avoid the troubles that dogged the original Fold when it tried to launch. From the sound of Samsung’s focus on improving the design and resilience of its foldable phone, it sounds like Samsung is making strides in that regard. Now we just need the phone maker to fill in the rest of the details by Sept. 1.

Richard Priday contributed to this report.