The new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be launched at Samsung’s Unpacked event happening in South Korea on the 26th of July. So before Samsung’s latest flip phone is officially released, let’s take a look at everything we know about it and what we can expect.
New Changes In The Z Flip 5
Bigger Cover Display
One of the biggest areas where we will be seeing improvement is the cover screen. Yes, we’re finally getting a bigger and more usable cover screen. The cover screen is going to double in size, going from 1.9 inches to 3.4 inches. And not just that, it is taking quite an unusual shape. It’s going to have the shape of a Windows folder.
This bigger cover display brings a lot of much-needed benefits. For one, you’ll be able to do a lot more on the cover screen without opening the phone. Also, the screen itself will be much easier to use.
Optimized Apps For The Cover Display
Still on the bigger and better cover screen of the Z Flip 5, It was recently leaked that Samsung isn’t just increasing the screen size into a folder-shaped design; currently, apps (especially the most used Google apps) are being optimized to take full advantage of the screen with its folder shape in mind. So, hopefully, when this phone releases to the public, the new cover screen won’t feel like just another public experiment or a slab of useless screen on the back.
Snapdragon 8Gen 2 For Galaxy
Another change we’re excited to see coming is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 For Galaxy Mobile chipset. It’s the chipset that powers the whole S23 series lineup. As for why we’re excited to see this chip in the Z Flip 5, well, there are two reasons. First, the custom-made Snapdragon for the Galaxy is the Android chip that finally equaled and even surpassed the Apple Bionic chip in a lot of ways. For example, the Snapdragon beats the Apple A16 in GPU performance and nearly equals it in power optimization. The superb performance of the S23 series is a testament to this chip.
Secondly, up until a few months ago, there was some uncertainty about whether Samsung was actually going to use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 For Galaxy chip on the foldables. This was because of how much more expensive the Snapdragon For Galaxy chip was, and according to rumors, Samsung was looking to reduce costs by using the normal Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. So, the confirmation of Samsung using the Snapdragon for the Galaxy in the upcoming Z Flip 5 is relieving to hear.
Thinner Bezels
Another change that’s coming to the Z Flip 5 is thinner bezels. The CAD renders of the new Flip published so far all show that it has a noticeable decrease in bezel size when compared to its predecessor, the Z Flip 4.
Lighter Build
Another area of the Z Flip 5 that we expect to see a decrease in when compared to its predecessor is weight. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 weighs in at 187 grams, so we’re expecting to see a weight reduction of a few grams which is typical for Samsung with every new Flip phone release.
New Waterdrop Hinge
The new hinge is one of the biggest changes coming to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. The next generation of Samsung’s Flip phone is finally adopting a water drop hinge. And if you don’t know, this is very similar to the hinges we see in foldable devices from companies like Vivo, Oppo, etc. The main thing that separates Samsung’s new hinge from other manufacturers is that its own version of the water drop hinge will have IPX8 (waterproof) support.
Moving on, the new hinge brings a lot of much-needed changes, like:
- It weighs less.
- The Z Flip 5 can fully close with no gap, unlike its predecessors.
- Thinner build
- And most importantly, a less visible crease.
Samsung Dex
Another long-awaited feature that’s coming to the Z Flip 5 is Samsung Dex. If you don’t know, Samsung Dex is a cool feature on Samsung phones that allows users to use their Samsung Smartphone or tablet as a computer by connecting their smartphone to any external display like a TV. You can even connect a keyboard and mouse. Since the first Z Flip phone, this feature has been absent. Samsung has previously stated that their Flip phones lack the thermal capability (heat management) needed to properly run Samsung Dex.
New Rear Camera Design
As you already know, the cover screen on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is getting a lot bigger, which has also prompted Samsung to make changes to the camera position. It appears that Samsung has taken inspiration from its very first Z Flip phone, as the dual cameras have reverted to a horizontal layout.
What’s Not Coming To The Z Flip 5
A Crease-less Screen
Earlier, we stated how the soon-to-be-released Z Flip 5 is finally seeing a decrease in the visibility of its crease. But from recent leaks, the crease is only seeing about a 15% reduction. So we’re still far from getting crease-less foldable phones from Samsung.
Lower Price
Another thing that’s not happening with this new release is a lower price. In fact, according to the latest rumors, the opposite might be what’s happening. Currently, it seems that the Z Flip 5 will see a price hike of around 100 Euros, making the price 1100 Euros. So much for cheap foldables. However, in the US it is rumored that prices will stay right around the $999 range and shouldn’t see much of an increase compared to the Flip 4.
Battery Capacity Increase
Another change that many of us looked forward to but unfortunately isn’t happening is an increase in the Battery size. The Z Flip 4 sports a 3700 mAh battery cell, and hopes were high that Samsung could push that to 3900 or 4000 mAh with the Z Flip 5. But that’s not happening.
The fact that the battery size is staying the same doesn’t mean we won’t see a significant jump in battery life. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for the Galaxy has so far proven to be a very power-efficient chip, so you can expect a significant battery life increase between the two Flip phones.
Triple Camera Set-Up
Another change we hoped to see in the upcoming release that didn’t end up manifesting is the addition of a new Telephoto sensor, which would have made the Z Flip 5 the first flip phone to sport a triple camera setup. But alas, we have to make do with a wide and ultrawide dual camera setup on a device that costs $1000 (or even more).
Higher Camera Sensor Megapixel Count
Another change in the camera department that we hoped Samsung would make with the Z Flip 5 is sensors with a higher megapixel count. At the very least, the main sensor should have seen a pixel count boost.
