© 91Mobiles
The third time is often the charm. Samsung is preparing to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the third generation of the large format foldable smartphone. This version should not launch an incredible number of new features.
But Samsung could succeed in making this product the first that will finally appeal to the general public. We know thanks to numerous rumors that Samsung has worked a lot on the durability of the device, in addition to refining the user experience.
We also expect more reasonable prices. What should we expect, and what will these new models look like? We explain everything to you in this file.
- The Galaxy Z Fold 3 would be unveiled during an Unpacked event on August 11, 2021
- The smartphone would be sold at 20% cheaper than its predecessor
- The Galaxy Z Fold 3 would have a selfie sensor under the screen
- It would be compatible with a new stylus called S-Pen Pro
- It would be resistant to water and dust
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a very high-end smartphone with the particularity of being a very high-end smartphone. carry two screens. One of them – the biggest – is foldable. Samsung is one of the first to bet on smartphones with foldable screens. A new market in which the manufacturer is currently the absolute master.
Foldable (or folding, it depends) smartphones are still very imperfect products, at the limit of what the industry is capable of producing in volume. They are more fragile than mainstream smartphones and for the moment require you to accept compromises such as the total absence of water resistance. They are also much more expensive than most other high-end smartphones.
Samsung nevertheless manages to deliver major improvements with each iteration, and we expect that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 proposition will be much more attractive than what we have seen so far. According to initial information, the smartphone should hide the selfie sensor under the internal screen. One way to maximize the useful surface area on this large screen.
The flexible panel should, incidentally, benefit from a new, more resistant UTG (Ultra Thin Glass) coating . The condition sine qua noneof the expected arrival of the S-Pen. Current flexible screens remain too fragile. They keep indelible traces of their contact with most hard objects. Including nails.
Samsung has also made a lot of effort to lower the price of the categoryin recent months, with major markdowns. While the price of the first models was close to 2000 euros, the price of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 could thus be much more digestible. Will this be enough to finally get Galaxy Z Fold sales off the ground?
The manufacturer is in any case going all out on the Z Fold and Z Flip. With the arrival of the S-Pen, we increasingly have the impression that Samsung is really counting on the Galaxy Z to completely replace the Note range’ 8230;
The news has been circulating for some time. Android Police journalist Max Weinbach estimates, based on his sources, thatthere will be not one but two Galaxy Z Fold 3s. Initially, Samsung would launch a classic model, then a few months later would adopt the same technique as with the Galaxy S smartphones.
Samsung could indeed launch before the end of the year. year 2021 a Galaxy Z Fold FE. The idea would be to offer a foldable device with either a design and elements inherited from previous models, or a foldable smartphone with slightly fewer features, but also a lower price.
It is also possible that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is not the only one to benefit from this treatment. Everything indicates that Samsung will also launch a Galaxy Z Flip FE a few weeks after the release of the smartphone on August 11, 2021. Of course, there are reasons at this point to doubt it. p>
The entire industry is experiencing one of the most serious component shortages in recent decades, which has already postponed the release of certain products. We are still waiting, for example, for the launch of the Galaxy S21 FE.
It is therefore not certain that Samsung can, in such a context, afford very high volume production, as the suggests this kind of product.
There will also be a Galaxy Z Flip 3
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip (official images)/© Samsung
Samsung should also present a Galaxy Z Flip 3. The foldable clamshell smartphone will resemble the current generation. Except that the The external screen will be a little wider and more useful than that of the Galaxy Z Flip. Like the large format version,the smartphone should hide the selfie sensor under the foldablescreen in place of the punch.
Samsung would also have improved the set of main photo sensors. In the rest of the technical sheet we expect the arrival of a Snapdragon 888, 888+ or an Exynos 2100 chip. There remains the question of price.
We have seen Samsung practice massive price reductions (nearly 50%) on the current model: the smartphone can now be found quite easily around 1000 euros or even cheaper .
It is likely, like the Galaxy Z Fold, that Samsung will offer the smartphone cheaper from the start. Rumors suggest a price drop of around 20%. In any case, we should have confirmation soon.
Nothing is official yet, but according to information from South Korea, we already have a precise idea of the release date of the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Samsung will hold an Unpacked event on August 11, 2021. In addition to the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung should unveil the Galaxy Z Flip 3 as well as the Galaxy Watch 4. The invitation cards should arrive in the coming days.
The very informed Jon Prosser adds that Samsung should start shipping the first units of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 as early as August 27.
© 91Mobiles
© 91Mobiles
The price of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 would be between €1,400 and €1,500. A nice drop in price when we remember that the two previous iterations had been launched in France for more than €2,000!
The first clue is the impressive price cuts already practiced by Samsung . The price of the Galaxy Z Fold 2, for example, is now only €1,499 on the official website.
The second clue comes from a bunch of leaks on the price of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 from South Korea. We know that the smartphone will be on sale for a price between €1,400 and €1,500. Of course you have to take the data with the necessary distance. The original info mentions a price between 1.9 million and 1.99 million Korean Won.
But it seems that a few zeros got lost in the machine translation: 1 KRW = 0.0000074€ at the time of writing, and so we have to speak in hundreds of millions of KRW to reach a price of over 1000 ;€ (i.e. a consistent selling price of between 190 and 199 million Korean Won).
The technical characteristics of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 are starting to surface thanks to certification bodies and several sources. From the outset, we don't really expect a revolution compared to previous generations.
| Weight | n.c.< /td> |
| Dimensions | Folded: 128.1 x 158.2 x 6.4 mm Unfolded: n.c. |
| Main screen | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ 7.6″ 1768 x 2208 pixels |
| Secondary screen | Super AMOLED, 120Hz 6.2″ 816 x 2260 pixels (25:9) Corning Gorilla Glass Victus< /td> |
| Chip | Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 |
| RAM | 12 GB or 16 GB | Internal storage | 256 GB or 512 GB UFS 3.1 |
| microSD port | No |
| 5G connectivity | Yes SA/NSA/Sub6 |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e Dual-band |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 A2DP, LE and aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes |
| S-Pen compatible | Yes |
| 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide angle), 1/1.76″, 1.8µm photosites, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6″, 1.0µm photosites, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 12mm (ultra wide angle), 1.12µm photosites /td> | |
| Secondary screen photo sensor | 10 MP, f /2.2, 26mm (wide angle) Sensor area: 1/3″ 1.22 µm photosites |
| Selfie photo sensor main screen | 16 MP (wide angle) 1.0 µm photosites Sensor hidden under the screen |
| Stereo speakers | Yes |
| Battery/Charging | |
| Connector | USB Type C USB 3.2 |
| Samsung Pay | NFC + MST |
| Biometrics | Fingerprint sensor on the edge |
Still, many elements could benefit from a little innovation. For example, Samsung should dodisappear the selfie photo sensor under the main screen. One of the external photo sensors should benefit from more efficient autofocus.
The flexible screen should adopt a more solid coating, while becoming compatible with the S-Pen. There is also the welcome return of MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) technologywhich allows transactions to be finalized by communicating, remotely, with the magnetic stripe reader of even older payment terminals.
© 91Mobiles
© 91Mobiles < p>The advantage of this technology is, among other things, that smartphone owners will be able to pay with Samsung Pay or Google Pay at more merchants.
The chip would be a Snapdragon 888, Snapdragon 888 + or an Exynos 2100. Without this being confirmed at the moment.
There should be two RAM options: 12 GB and – it's new – 16 GB. The internal storage, equipped with ultra-fast UFS 3.1 technology, will be a choice of 256 GB or 512 GB as on current models.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 should adopt the latest revisions of WiFi and Bluetooth and will remain compatible with UWB technology which allows more precise location of Samsung SmartTags.
On the battery and charging side, we expect Samsung to integrate a slightly smaller battery powerful 4400 mAh(compared to 4500 mAh). A decline which will, we hope, be compensated for by the 5 nm engraving technology of the smartphone chip, reputed to be more economical.
As usual, Samsung has not been able to keep for a long time the secret around the design of the Galaxy Z Fold 3. In fact many renderings are already on the web thanks to the site 91Mobiles (these are the illustrations which are scattered throughout this article). The renowned leaker Evan Blass even offers an animation that allows you to admire the smartphone in 360 degrees.
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 10, 2021
Overall, everything indicates that the design of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be almost the same as that of the Fold 2. It must be said that Samsung had already incorporated big changes on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 compared to the first generation. Was the external display originally too small? We now have an XXL screen on practically the entire external surface of the device.
The main screen originally had a very visible notch? From the second generation, we move to a single selfie sensor hidden in a punch. The Galaxy Fold 3 screens should roughly offer the same size/screen ratio. We nevertheless imagine the more immersive user experience once the device is unfolded, thanks to the disappearance of the punch.
© 91Mobiles
© 91Mobiles
A closer look at the available renderings reveals other details. First, the design seems a little more rounded than on the previous generation. It's undoubtedly an impression but the radius of the rounded edges seems more important for a visually softer result.
The set of main photo sensors, which had adopted, on the Fold 2 , the same layout as the sensors of the Galaxy S21 range, changes design. We have a triple sensor in a more sober and classic vertical arrangement, a bit like what Samsung did at the time of the Note 10.
Except that the background of the module is now the same color as the rest of the color – rather than black. The arrangement is completed by a flash centered on the lower part of the module. According to the latest rumors, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 would be available inthree colors: black, khaki green and a gradient color with pink highlights.
The biggest new feature will probably be the selfie sensor hidden under the screen. We saw several manufacturers present prototypes of such technology, and we were even able to take units in hand on the sidelines of trade shows. This type of sensor currently has two big drawbacks.
First, the location where the sensor is hidden remains slightly visible on the screen: the The manufacturer must in fact remove part of the internal materials to make the screen semi-transparent. The area also includes fewer pixels to less obstruct this small window. And the photos? Let's be clear, quality suffers greatly from technology.
© 91Mobiles
© 91Mobiles
It could be that Samsung has found an acceptable trick to limit the problems related to the sensors under the screen. But it could just as easily be that this is not the case, and that Samsung has decided in extremis to replace the selfie sensor under the screen with a classic punch sensor strong>.
This sensor would in any case be 16 Mp. And there's also talk of better autofocus technology on the wide-angle sensor in the main camera array. And that's about it for the new stuff on this side. Indeed, the information on the technical sheet of the sensors available describes a camera system almost identical to that of the current generation.
© Let's Go Digital
The compatibility of the S-Pen Pro with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is now certain. Samsung is in fact in the process of certifying the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and its accessories in many countries, and the manufacturer is forced to reveal some of their secrets in the process.
We have known for some time that Samsung is is preparing to launch a new version of the S-Pen, called S-Pen Pro. However, according to the documents sent to the FCC, we already have confirmation of the devices with which the accessory is compatible. The Galaxy Fold 3 5G is mentioned in black and white in the document.
But it will not be the only model. Samsung reveals that the S-Pen Pro will also work with the S21 Ultra, Note 20 Ultra, Note 20 and Note 10 Lite, Tab S7/+/FE and Tab S6. The only prerequisite will be that these devices run OneUI 3.1 or later.
The hinge of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 © Samsung
This is undoubtedly one of the craziest pieces of information, because if this is confirmed, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be the most foldable smartphone most durable ever created. The first two generations do not have IP certification attesting to their resistance to water and dust.
The first Galaxy Fold was particularly undurable, letting dust and grit get into all the more fragile parts, like the hinge and the underside of the flexible screen. Obviously, many early adopters were left with a big disappointment.
But from the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung managed to drastically improve the situation with some sort of small brushes at the entrance to all gaps. It looks like Samsung is about to go a lot further with the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Sources close to the assembly lines say the manufacturer has managed to make the< strong> waterproof and completely dust-resistant smartphone. The exact clue is not yet known. We imagine, given the specificities of the product, that the IP index will be less good than on other high-end smartphones.
But even a minimum certification would be enormous progress which could finally convince the customers most attracted to the format.