Samsung‘s next flagship foldable launch is hurtling towards us. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be the third iteration of the firm’s bendy series, and judging by rumors, it’s shaping up to be the most intriguing entry yet.
Below, you’ll find a comprehensive roundup of the credible leaks, rumors, and news surrounding the Galaxy Z Fold 3 so far. Be sure to bookmark this article and check back frequently to ensure you don’t miss any updates.
See also: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2: The complete buyer’s guide
Name and release date
We’ve had the Samsung Galaxy Fold, and more recently, the jump to the Galaxy Z Fold 2 moniker. So is Samsung set to shake up its foldable line name yet again? We don’t think so. In fact, there’s already evidence to suggest it will launch the newest version as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 (see the next section for more).
See also: The best foldable phones you can buy
As for the foldable’s release date, it remains a big mystery. Conflicting rumors have cited dates from June all the way through to September for the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s debut. Obviously, now that June is behind us, that rumor was proven incorrect.
Korean publication The Elec previously stated a July launch is likely. However, another rumor suggests Samsung may host a smartphone launch event on August 3. The bottom line is that we have no solid idea of when this phone would launch, other than it’s likely to happen before Q4 2021.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Design
Our first look at the foldable came in May, and it didn’t bring huge surprises. The alleged promotional renders, stemming from a Twitter tipster, suggested the foldable would still open like a book and adopt similar stylings to the Galaxy Z Fold 2. There are some key differences, though.
The images hint at S Pen compatibility, a slimmer triple rear camera design, and the inclusion of an under-display camera. This would make it Samsung’s first under-display camera phone, but the second non-Note smartphone line to support the S Pen.
Crisper images of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 broke cover on June 24 courtesy of tipster Evan Blass. The shots below appear to be press renders and corroborated some details of the above leak, as well as the official name:
The render includes an S Pen, suggesting the foldable may not just support the stylus but ship with it. This also makes sense considering Samsung isn’t launching a Note device this year. While this effectively makes the Z Fold 3 this year’s Note replacement, it’s unclear if there will be a slot to store it in the foldable. Early rumors suggest this may not be possible.
Later, we saw some more leaked renders, although this time they were CAD-based:
Once again, it doesn’t look likely that you’ll be able to store the S Pen in the phone. It’s possible Samsung could take the same approach it did with the Galaxy S21 Ultra and sell a case that includes a slot for the stylus.
Specs and features
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 recently passed through the FCC, revealing a few key feature additions. This listing confirmed the existence of S Pen support, UWB support, NFC, sub-6GHz and mmWave connectivity, and reverse charging at up to 9W. Interestingly, MST technology is also present, which is a boon for Samsung Pay users.
The FCC also confirmed the inclusion of a Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC, likely the Snapdragon 888. We also know from previous listings that the charger certified for the phone will support 25W charging.
Rumors in April pointed to a possible IP rating for the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Although we don’t think it would sport an IP68 rating — the current benchmark for flagships — any IP rating would inspire confidence in the phone’s durability.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Price and availability
Samsung hasn’t dramatically upped the price of its flagships in 2021, so we don’t believe the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will see a huge price spike. Its predecessor debuted at $1,999, a similar price to the original Galaxy Fold.
Samsung doesn’t have much foldable competition, so it doesn’t need to consider the Galaxy Z Fold 3 rivals’ pricing. However, considering the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is meant to entice Galaxy Note users to upgrade, a slight price decrease could definitely help.
It’s also possible Samsung will renew its trade-in program for those wanting to switch out a Galaxy Fold or Galaxy Z Fold 2 for the new model.
Related: Samsung Galaxy Note series: A history of innovation
As for availability, expect the device to be available worldwide soon after its debut. It’s unclear how the global chipset shortage will impact the pace of the rollout, though.
Users in China may receive a custom Galaxy Z Fold 3 rebranded as the Galaxy W22 5G, but the device may only debut in November.