Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 release date, price, news and leaks

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 from 2020

(Image credit: AakashJhaveri)

The next top foldable phone

p>

- the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 - is almost certainly about to be released, and we expect to hear about the next-gen handset at a

launch event scheduled for August 11

.

The Fold 3 follows the

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

, which was officially released in September 2020 and significantly improved on the durability issues of the original Galaxy Fold and got a much bigger front screen. So what is left to improve?

More phones to come

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE

Nokia 10< /p>

iPhone Flip

iPhone 13

Foldables are still in their infancy, and they still solve the problems of folding screens, battery life, and screen multi-software. Given their bulk, future foldables could be thinner, lighter and less bulky to use with one hand.

Samsung could make many of these general improvements, but the rumor mill has suggested several more specific upgrades. the Z Fold 3 could implement – ​​including, finally, an S Pen stylus. Since we are also expecting a

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

, more productivity-focused features make sense for the Z Fold 3, especially since we're hearing that Samsung p>

probably won't release a Note phone in 2021

.

Here are all the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 leaks and rumors we've heard, plus what we want to see from Samsung's next foldable flagship.

Latest news

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

probably won't have a slot for S Pen p>

, and now we have more ideas about

how much this foldable could cost

.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: chase cut

What is that?

Samsung's next big foldable phone

When is it coming out?

August 11, 2021... probably

How much will it cost?

Expect $1999 / £1799 / AU$2999 and up

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 release date and price

(Image credit: Future)

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 will almost certainly be announced on August 11. Samsung is holding an Unpacked event on that date, and while it hasn't confirmed which devices we'll see, plenty of rumors suggest it will include the Z Fold 3.

As for when the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will go on sale, sources have

indicated on August 27

for it. If this phone is revealed on August 11, that date would make sense.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 costs $1,999 / £1,799 / AU$2,999, so expect a hefty price tag for the Z Fold 3, especially since it's been suggested that

it will be very expensive

.

That said,

SamMobile

< p> suggests that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 could be up to 20% cheaper than its predecessor, meaning the price could be more like $1,600 / £1,440 / AU$2,400. We have also since

heard elsewhere

that the price might be slightly lower than the Z Fold 2.

More recently we have

heard it might cost

around $1745 / £1255 / AU$2330, which, while still a lot, would be significantly cheaper. The most recent price leak

meanwhile puts it at €1,673.21 (about $1,970 / £1,439 / AU$2,680) for 256GB of storage and €177.47 (about $2,095 / £1,529 / AU$2,849) for 512 GB of storage.

A leaker claims it could also come with a

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

if you pre-order.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Rumors and Leaks

What do we know about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3? A lot, and that's mostly due to leaks and rumours. Here is the full picture of the

phone to come

until now.

Design and display

Leaked marketing materials

showed off what the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 might look like, and they show three cameras on the back, and list it as coming in black, silver, green, and tan tones - although a newer one

leak

suggests that the beige shade has been renamed to "cream".

The marketing materials also mention both the S Pen and an under-display camera, as well as the source of these images. claims that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will have flat aluminum sides and be protected by Gorilla Glass Victus.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: @TheGalox_)

< p>Picture 2 of 2

(Image credit: @TheGalox_)

We have also now seen

clearer leaked images

of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, from two

different sources

. Some of these images can be seen below.

They show a phone in black, navy, and pink tones, with a triple-lens camera on the back, a punch-hole camera on the cover display, and likely an under-display camera on the front.

Although we take them with a pinch of salt, we think the design is probably more or less accurate, especially since they line up with each other and other leaks.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: 91Mobiles)

Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: 91Mobiles)< /p>

Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: 91Mobiles)

A

third leak

also now featured the same design, while mentioning that the phone will apparently have a 7.5-inch 120Hz AMOLED foldable display, a 6.2-inch cover display and dimensions of 158.1 x 64.8 x 14 .5mm when folded, and 158.1 x 128.1 x 6.6mm when unfolded.

And we have even now seen

360 degree GIFs

showing the phone from different angles, one of which seen below. This is from a reliable source and matches what we've seen elsewhere, so it's almost certainly accurate.

See more

Elsewhere we have heard this

there could be two models of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

. The source doesn't say what's different about them, but says they will both support 5G. However, we have heard of a

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Lite

, then they could talk about it.

It's possible that one of these Galaxy Z Fold 3s could sport a

smaller outdoor screen

. At a rumored 5.4in, it would be significantly smaller than the Galaxy Z Fold 2's exterior display (6.23in), so we're more than a little skeptical. However, a smaller screen could again hint at a cheaper Lite model.

That said, another source has since

echoes claims of a smaller exterior screen

, adding that it would leave room for an S Pen slot, which seems believable.

The standard model could also undergo a slight reduction in size, with

a report claiming

it will have a 7.5-inch main screen (compared to 7.6-inch on the Z Fold 2) and a 6.2-inch cover screen.

Elsewhere we've heard that the Z Fold 3 might be around 13g lighter than the Z Fold 2 (making it around 269g), which would make sense if the battery was smaller as has been said (more details below). We have also heard that

it might have an IP rating

- which means some resistance to water and dust.

It might have a stronger screen than its predecessor too, with

a report

saying the ultra-thin glass (UTG) display would be twice as thick as on the Z Fold 2, and a newer saying that - with the Galaxy Z Flip 3 - it would have

the strongest foldable screen

of all phones this year.

Could the Z Fold 3 also come with an ultra-durable outer frame, perhaps titanium or carbon? The fact that Samsung has just applied for registration of the trademark "Armor Frame"

suggests that it might

.

In more unlikely possibilities, according to one

p>

patent

(shown below), Samsung is working on a foldable without any protruding physical buttons - input is handled by gestures, swipes and capacitive buttons built into the case. It remains to be seen whether this technology will be ready for the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

(Image credit: LetsGoDigital/Samsung)

Camera and battery

A feature that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 could get

is an on-screen camera

, something we heard

several times

now from

a variety of sources

, which also indicate that it will probably be the first Samsung phone to have one. A Samsung official reportedly

would have even said that now

- although the feature apparently may not if it degrades screen or photo quality.

Speaking of photo quality, don't expect too much – a recent leak suggests that the three cameras on board the Z Fold 3

will be very similar

to those of the Z Fold 2, apart from the one integrated into the screen.

Indeed, this source has since followed up on this claim with

a list of cameras

which sound almost completely identical to those of the Z Fold 2. This includes a 12 MP main camera, a 12 MP ultra-wide and a 12 MP telephoto camera, offering 2x optical zoom, as well as a cover camera of 10 MP. The only difference listed is a 16MP selfie camera on the foldable display - and it's this one that's apparently under the display.

The same megapixel numbers were

mentioned by another source p>

also, although they didn't specify what each lens is for, while elsewhere we heard again that the camera hardware

will be largely the same as on the Galaxy Z Fold 2< /p>

.

Regarding the battery, a report says

a slightly smaller 4,380 mAh battery

(compared to 4,500 mAh on the Z Fold 2).

A battery for a phone believed to be the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has also

now certified

, and it's available at an even smaller 4,275mAh. Still in battery news, a 25W charger

has been certified

for the phone, which suggests this is the fastest charging speed you'll get.

Specifications and features

One of the biggest features we've heard about is support for the S Pen - the same stylus in the family

Samsung Galaxy Note 20

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus

- one

patent

suggests the arrival of a future Samsung foldable phone, which could refer to the Z Fold 3.

This compatibility with the S Pen stylus has also been

teased by Samsung itself

, which strongly reinforces the idea that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will work with the company's styluses.

Another

report

supports the reasoning that an S Pen stylus may come to the Z Fold 3, while also suggesting some view changes that may be required to achieve stylus functionality. First, Samsung may change screen technologies from electromagnetic resonance (EMR) to active electrostatic solution (AES) to better register pen input; and second, that the ultra-thin glass (UTG) can be twice as thick as on the Z Fold 2, from 30 micrometers to 60 micrometers.

That said, while S Pen support is likely, a stylus slot looks less, with one source suggesting Samsung will sell instead.

a case with an S Pen slot

. It should be noted that at least one other source has stated that the phone

could have a dedicated location

, so we don't know what's here.

There is also a

rumor

that the Z Fold series will combine with the Note series to create a single productivity-focused phone line, ultimately condensing Samsung's annual flagships down to the single S series and foldable Z Fold line with stylus. A Samsung official reportedly

said the same thing

, claiming that the Z Fold 3 will get a stylus while the Note lineup will be discontinued.

That would be sad news for Note fans - although the

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

launched with stylus support anyway for folks who won't want to wait for a foldable.

< p>We also heard that - unsurprisingly - the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

could have at least 256 GB of storage

and run Android 11 with Samsung's One UI 3.5, however a source says there could also be a 512GB model

.

. Continuing spec rumours, reliable source says foldable phone is coming

runs a "top secret" chipset

- which makes us think that it will not be the Snapdragon 888 or the Exynos 2100, which are not secret at all. That said, the same source has since stated that in fact,

it will probably have the Snapdragon 888

.

We have also heard of

several other sources

that the Snapdragon 888 will be used, so it seems likely. The same sources also mention 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 could also help you monitor your health, as a patent suggests it may have

both an ECG and blood pressure monitor

.

And completing the rumors is fun: a

patent

suggests a future foldable phone will have a light strip on its hinge. The listed hinges are so Galaxy Z Fold 2, we want RGB on our Z Fold 3.

(Image credit: LetsGoDigital/Samsung)

what we want to see

< p> What do we want to see Samsung bring to its next big foldable phone? We've rounded up a few improvements we'd like to see Samsung introduce to the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

(Image credit: Future)

1. More built-in storage

The Z Fold 2 is a powerful phone with the best specs on the market, aside from its storage. With a maximum of 256GB and no tray for a microSD card to expand its space, users had no choice but to deal with it.

Even giving the option of a 512GB or 1TB storage option would be fine, with a microSD slot being ideal, but 256GB seems criminal for a device that's supposed to be so central to your personal and professional life.

(Image credit: Future)

2. Easier one-handed operation

The Z Fold 2 is an impressive phone, but it really does need two hands to use it properly - even when closed and using the 6.2-inch external display, its 16.8mm thickness, about twice that of most other phones is difficult to use with one hand.

Unfolded is a whole different story, of course, as it's even harder to manipulate a 7.6-inch screen with one hand. But it would be nice to have an easier way to open the device without needing both hands.

(Image credit: Future)

3. Better cameras

The Z Fold 2 has a decent number of cameras, but lacks the powerful shooters of Samsung's other phones. The 12MP rear camera trio (main, ultra-wide, telephoto) is no match for the Samsung S20 Ultra's 108MP main lenses and 4x 48MP optical telephoto camera

, which combine for their amazing 100x Space Zoom capability. More of that in the Z Fold 3, please.

(Image credit: TechRadar)

4. Better multi-screen capabilities

If there's one thing we've seen with the wilder phones of 2020, it's inspiring new features. the

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

, for example, allows you to hold the phone open at a certain angle to, for example, voice chat without needing to prop up the phone. Where the

LG Wing 5G

, which allows you to record videos from the front and rear cameras at the same time.

We'd love to see some inventive uses of the Z Fold 2's display and six (!) cameras, especially if the Z Fold 3 ends up packing more shooters.

(Image credit: Future)

5. Longer battery life

Although it's about twice the size of a typical smartphone, the Z Fold 2 packs a 4,500mAh battery, which has been surpassed even by budget phones like the

Moto G8 Power

and its 5000mAh battery.

With the extra screen and 5G connectivity, a bigger battery would certainly be welcome, or at the very least faster charging times than the 25W max in the Z Fold 2.

What we know so far about the

Samsung Galaxy Note 21

David Lumb

David J Lumb is Mobile Editor, US for TechRadar, covering phones, tablets and wearables. He still thinks the iPhone 4 is the most beautiful smartphone ever.

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