The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 could be Samsung's next foldable phone, though its launch likely isn't imminent - the Galaxy S21 launch on January 14 didn't bring with it any foldables, and Samsung will likely want its new flagships to have some time in the spotlight before its next bending device comes along.
It's over a year since we saw the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, though, so it might not be too long before the successor comes. That was the company's first 'clamshell' style folding device, and this is set to be the second.
So why doesn't this article concern the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 2? Well, we've heard it's not going to be called that, and we'll explain more in a section below.
What, then, do we know about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3? Not much right now, though that could change soon - the original Galaxy Z Flip launched in February 2020, so the Z Flip 3 could be imminent, although many sources suggest otherwise.
Before the grand Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 reveal, we've listed everything we know about it below, including details on its confusing name.
Leaked images of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 give us our first proper look at the likely design.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? A 'clamshell' foldable phone from Samsung
- When is it out? Probably mid-2021
- How much will it cost? Expect around $1,380 / £1,300 / AU$1,800
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 release date and price
As stated in the introduction to this article, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 could land soon, since it's now over a year since the first model launched.
Of course, that might not end up being right, and we could see a launch later in the year. Plenty of rumors suggest 'late 2021' is when we should expect the Flip successor. Most recently (as of early February) we've heard that it might not land for five months - meaning in or around July.
We've now heard that from another source as well, which suggested both the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the next Galaxy Z Flip would be landing together at some stage during July 2021.
Worryingly there's no mention of it at all in a leaked Samsung launch roadmap, which runs up to late August, though the roadmap looks incomplete. We'd expect it would land by then, especially with the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 likely cancelled - leaving Samsung with fewer high-end phones this year than normal.
We've also heard that it might run a new version of Samsung's One UI though, which probably wouldn't land until the second half of the year, so don't expect the phone soon.
Regarding price, we'll likely see a similar cost to the original Galaxy Z Flip, which sold for $1,380 / £1,300 / AU$1,800. Hopefully the company has worked out some ways to lower the cost though, because that's a huge amount for a smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 or Z Flip 2?
Naturally, you'd expect the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip would be the Galaxy Z Flip 2... right?
In practice that might not be right, as we've heard the next phone could be the Galaxy Z Flip 3. This comes from Dutch website GalaxyClub, which has a mixed record on providing accurate information.
It seems the reasoning for the naming change is because the 5G equivalent of the Galaxy Z Flip was technically the 'Flip 2', so this new version is the 'Flip 3'.
In addition, GalaxyClub states the company is doing it to bring the Flip line on par with the numbers of the Fold line, with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 the next release there.
More recently, LetsGoDigital has echoed these claims, saying that it's heard from "several reliable sources" that the phone will be called the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3.
That said, sometimes many pre-launch rumors and leaks say the same thing and we take it for granted, until the launch comes and proves us wrong. It's very possible this will happen with the new Galaxy Z Flip model (as indeed it did with the Samsung Galaxy S21, which many people thought would be the Galaxy S30).
We'll have to wait until the next foldable phone comes out to know for sure.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip news and rumors
We might have had our first proper look at the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 courtesy of some leaked marketing material, some of which you can see below.
The images and accompanying information reveal a new two-tone design (apparently in dark green, light violet, beige, grey, black, pink, dark blue and white shades), along with a much larger secondary screen than on its predecessor.
Those colors have also been mentioned previously, so they're likely accurate.
Some Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 renders are also out in the open, and you might have seen them, but don't be fooled - they're not official. Instead, they were made by LetsGoDigital based on specs and image leaks, to try and get a clear picture of what the foldable phone could look like.
Samsung Z Flip 3 with Galaxy S21 camera design👀https://ift.tt/35xTZTZ you Tron @FrontTron for the tip!#Samsung #GalaxyZFlip3 #SamsungZFlip3 pic.twitter.com/myHbOQwHJIJanuary 8, 2021
Another Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 2 leak - that's what the leaker called it - suggested it'll have a 3-inch screen on the outside of the device, and a 6.7-inch one when opened up. While the main screen is the same size as that on the original Flip, that phone only had a 1.1-inch cover screen, so we could see a big improvement in that department.
That leak, and several others, also says the Z Flip 2 will have a bigger battery than the 3,300mAh one in the original Flip. There are no bets on the new size though.
According to one leak, the next Galaxy Z Flip will have a redesigned hinge, and improved display material, to its predecessor. These are the two main components of a foldable phone, so it seems Samsung is aiming for a more durable device.
Backing up that idea of durability is the news that Samsung has registered the trademark 'Armor Frame'. The filing doesn't go into much detail, but it's possible that the Z Flip 3 could come with a much stronger material around the edges.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 might be better able to resist the elements too, as sources suggest it will have an IP rating, meaning some amount of water and dust resistance, though they didn't know how much.
We've also heard that the Galaxy Z Flip 3 might have a triple-lens camera, smaller bezels, and come in black, beige, green and purple colors.
Elsewhere, we've heard that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 could come in 128GB and 256GB storage sizes, as well as running Android 11. 128GB is less than the Galaxy Z Flip comes with, which could mean a lower starting price.
Indeed, we have also heard rumors of a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Lite, and it's possible this affordable foldable phone actually is the Z Flip 2 or 3, with the next phone designed to hit a lower price point than the one we've currently got.
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