The Samsung Galaxy Fold was touted as a smartphone and tablet in one device, but it wound up not being very good in either mode. The front 4.6-inch display was too tiny, and the even the unfolded 7.3-inch display was smaller than most tablets, including the 7.9-inch iPad mini.
Now comes word that Samsung plans to supersize the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2’s display while slimming down the design. But there's also some potential bad news for this foldable phone, which means there's plenty of room for the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 to make some noise.
- Samsung Galaxy Fold 2: Release date, price, specs and leaks
- Samsung's cheap iPad killer just revealed
- Just in: iPhone 12 could steal this feature from the Galaxy S20
According to Korean publication ETNews, the Galaxy Fold 2 will open from side to side like the original Galaxy Fold, but the new projected screen size is projected to be “around 8 inches.” That would be the largest display on a phone yet.
The report also cites an industry insider who says that, "Overall, it is similar to the Galaxy Fold, but I know that it is capable of reducing weight."
The current Galaxy Fold weighs a whopping 9.5 ounces. To put that in perspective, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra with its 6.9-inch display weighs 7.7 ounces, and that’s a pretty heavy phone. So getting the Galaxy Fold 2 under even 9 ounces would be an accomplishment.
Galaxy Fold 2 Rumor)- Increased external display size- No S-PEN- Around 229g- Martian Green, Astro Blue added(Colors may vary depending on the region to be released)source : https://t.co/YIhxVlUpE0April 13, 2020
The ETNews report says that the Galaxy Fold 2 is on track for an August launch, and that mass production will take place between June and July. The Galaxy Note 20 is expected to be unveiled at the same summer event.
According to a blog post on Naver out of South Korea (via SamMobile), the Galaxy Fold 2 could weigh around 229 grams, which translates to only 8 ounces. But it’s hard to believe that Samsung would shave off 1.5 ounces while making the display that much larger.
Last but not least, the blog post says that the Galaxy Fold 2 will come in Martian Green and Astro Blue, though color options will vary by region.
The bad news is that this leaker says that there will not be an S Pen on the Galaxy Fold 2. This rumored feature would make the Fold 2 more versatile, but it looks like the S Pen will be relegated to the Samsung Galaxy Note 20. The Note 20 is also rumored to feature new S Pen capabilities, owing to its Canvas codename, along with a screen that could surpass 7 inches.
Another leak points to Samsung offering two versions of the Galaxy Note 20. One would be the Galaxy Note 20 and the other a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra with more advanced cameras.
The jury is still very much out on foldable phones, especially because of their high prices and lingering durability concerns. The Galaxy Fold costs nearly $2,000, and Samsung's smaller $1,400 Galaxy Z Flip isn't cheap either. So Samsung will have to find a way to better justify the premium with the Galaxy Fold 2.
But, overall, the Galaxy Note 20 could mind up exciting more people, because it should be the more accessible of the two flagship phones.
