Samsung Galaxy Fold 2: News, Leaks, Release Date, Specs, and Rumors!

If there’s one phone to be overly excited about this year, it’s the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2. Last year’s Galaxy Fold was the first folding phone to widely release in the U.S., taking the form factor from a wild pipe dream to a very real reality. The launch wasn’t without a few hiccups along the way, but even so, there’s no denying the importance and impact the Galaxy Fold has had on the entire industry.

It’s now 2020, and we’re anticipating Samsung to soon usher in its successor in the form of the Galaxy Fold 2. The idea behind the phone will be to take that original Fold formula, add more modern specs, and fix what didn’t work the first time around.

If you’re eager to learn more about the upcoming folding handset, keep on reading below.

Samsung is holding a virtual Unpacked event on August 5 to announce a bunch of new products, and while we expect the Galaxy Note 20 to be the star of the show, this is also where we should get our official unveiling of the Fold 2.

Samsung Unpacked is usually a large in-person spectacle where journalists and other members of the press/media come together to learn about the new gadgets that Samsung has been working on, but given the current state of the world, that obviously can’t happen this year.

It’s unclear what an online-only Unpacked will look like, but I suppose we’ll learn soon enough. The event kicks off at 10:00 AM ET on Samsung’s website, so stay tuned!

Do we know the Galaxy Fold 2’s price?

When the first Galaxy Fold was unveiled, we were just as taken aback by its price as we were its radical design. That $1980 retail price was certainly something, and while you can get the phone for less these days now that it’s been out for a while, there’s no denying it’s an extremely expensive piece of tech.

Pricing info for the Galaxy Fold 2 is still relatively unclear, with our latest report coming from April 27. According to the CEO of the Display Supply Chain Consultants, the Galaxy Fold 2 is expected to cost between $1780 and $1980.

More Galaxy Fold 2 Leaks:
Price – Between $1780 and $1980. Since they are looking to boost volumes, we think it will be priced around $100 less than last year at $1880-$1895 despite a bigger/better front and main display, a higher resolution camera, the S-Pen and 5G.

— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) April 27, 2020

That’s still quite a lot of money, but given that Samsung is apparently looking to manufacture more units and can scale down its operating costs, that’s why the Fold 2 could end up costing less than its predecessor.

What is the Galaxy Fold 2 going to look like?

On July 20, we got our first real look at the Galaxy Fold 2. The above picture was leaked via Chinese social network Weibo, and it’s apparently a final render of the Fold 2. The image is very grainy, but we can still make out the large 7.7-inch inner display and rear camera bump that should be home to three sensors. We also get a glimpse at the 6.23-inch outer display, which looks to be a massive upgrade compared to the first Fold.

@MaxWinebach Yo pic.twitter.com/ATWibY1bmg

— 에아 (@hwangmh01) July 29, 2020

Then, on July 28, we got a hands-on photo of the phone. Not only does this give us an idea of how big the phone will be when it’s open, but it also confirms the final name of “Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G.” Try saying that five times ?.

In addition to those leaks, we’ve also seen some slick concept renders that complete the Galaxy Fold 2 picture.

The picture you see above comes from notable Samsung leaker Ice Universe, who shared that render on June 25. Compared to the original Fold, the most significant design tweak is that the obtrusive camera notch is gone and has been replaced by a simple hole-punch cutout. This does mean there’s only a single inner camera instead of two, but given how much better this looks from a design point-of-view, it’s perfectly fine by us.

Another interesting tweak is that the Galaxy Fold 2 appears to have a squared-off body, differing from the round corners of the current Fold. This lines up with the flat edges we’re expecting on the Galaxy Note 20, so it makes sense for Samsung to want a consistent design language across its two product lines.

Concept designer Ben Geskin also shared his rendition of the Fold 2, giving us a peek at the front and back of the phone. This also shows us that much larger outer display, stretching across the entire front glass instead of being flanked by massive bezels. And, just like on the inner screen, there’s a hole-punch cutout for a selfie camera.

What specs will we get with the Galaxy Fold 2?

Next, let’s talk about the specs and components that’ll power the Galaxy Fold 2 — starting first with the displays.

In addition to the external display being much larger than before, it’ll also have some decent tech backing it up. We’re looking at a 6.23-inch panel with a resolution of 2267 x 819 and a 60Hz refresh rate. For the inner display, we should get a 7.7-inch 2213 x 1689 setup with an impressive 120Hz refresh rate. There’s also a rumor that the outer display will house an in-screen fingerprint sensor, which would make the Galaxy Fold 2 the first foldable phone to have that technology.

As for the Fold 2’s cameras, the latest reports indicate that there will be a 12MP primary camera, 16MP ultra-wide camera, and 64MP telephoto camera. The above render hints at there being four cameras on the back, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens there. An earlier rumor suggested that there would be a 108MP camera on the Fold 2, meaning there’s still a lot of uncertainty as to what the final camera setup will look like.

In regards to other specs, we can likely look forward to the Snapdragon 865 processor, 5G connectivity, and Android 10 out of the box with a swift upgrade to Android 11 shortly after release.

Is the Galaxy Fold 2 going to have an S Pen?

If you want an S Pen with your Samsung phone, you have to buy a Galaxy Note. That’s how it’s been ever since the first Note debuted back in October 2011, but it looks like Samsung is aiming to shake things up.

There were early rumors that the Galaxy Fold 2 would ship with its very own S Pen, making the form factor even more conducive for creativity and productivity. It sounds like a match made in heaven, but unfortunately, we’ll probably have to wait another year before that happens.

While Samsung does appear to be toying with the idea of including its S Pen with a future Galaxy Fold handset, the latest reports point to that not happening until 2021. In other words, don’t hold your breath for an S Pen to come with your Fold 2.

Should you still buy the original Galaxy Fold?

All signs are pointing to the Galaxy Fold 2 being the best folding phone we’ve seen yet, but what if you just can’t wait? If that happens to be you, the original Galaxy Fold is still available for purchase.

We’d recommend holding off just a little bit longer for the Fold 2, however, the Galaxy Fold is still an incredibly powerful and impressive device over a year after its debut. It’s unlike anything else on the market, its specs are plenty capable, and that inner display is downright gorgeous.

You can pick up the Galaxy Fold for quite a bit cheaper nowadays compared to its full MSRP, making it a better bang-for-buck than it usually is. It’s not a bad purchase by any means, but like we noted above, most folks are probably better off waiting for the Galaxy Fold 2 announcement before making any purchasing decisions.