The Galaxy Fold 2 is about to enter mass production, meaning it will likely launch very soon. However, it may miss out on a key upgrade to its display.
The report comes from major South Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo (via PhoneArena). It reports that Samsung has placed orders with its core supplier for parts likely to be used in the Fold 2, which points to the company gearing up to produce the phone in time for a reported August launch.
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It's long been rumored that the Fold 2 would arrive in August, alongside the Galaxy Note 20. That gives Samsung around two months of lead time if this report and the other rumors are accurate.
The Hankook Ilbo also reports that Samsung may be using its UTG (ultra-thin glass) material for the display of the Fold 2, as well as for the successor to the Galaxy Z Flip, which first used the material. UTG is tougher than the standard CPI (transparent polyimide) display covering found on most foldable phones (although it's still weaker than the Gorilla glass used on non-flexible devices).
The addition of UTG would be a welcome upgrade to the Fold. However, it's not a definite addition, due to the difficulty of applying UTG to the display surface beneath it. The report claims that Samsung is preparing a CPI display in case it can't get UTG to work at the required volume, which would be unfortunate.
When the Fold 2 does appear, it's anticipated to cost around $1,800, a small reduction in price compared to the original Galaxy Fold. The Galaxy Fold 2 will also reportedly feature a 120Hz display and a quad camera array with main, ultrawide, telephoto and time-of-flight sensors. It may also be compatible with an S Pen stylus, and be joined by a cheaper model, potentially named the Galaxy Fold Lite.
