The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be the lightest entry in the series yet, according to a new tweet from reliable leaker Ice Universe.
In a typically short-form reveal, the leaker simply wrote “Fold3 269g" — two words that give us an interesting bit of intel about the upcoming foldable. If the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 really is 269g (9.48 ounces), it will be the lightest in the range to date, and a promising change of trajectory given that Galaxy Z Fold 2 (282g (9.9 ounces)) was actually heavier than the original Galaxy Fold (9.7 ounces).
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To be clear, even at 269g, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is hardly in the featherweight category of smartphones, and in my experience anything over 200g feels a bit on the weighty side in the pocket. For comparison’s sake, that makes it just under 18% heavier than both the iPhone 12 Pro Max (228g, 8.03 ounces) and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (229g, 8.07 ounces), neither of which most people would consider light.
But there are good reasons that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold handsets are heavier than most smartphones: you’re essentially getting both a phone and tablet in one, and that requires more materials across the board: two screens, a structure thick enough to be resilient when unfolded and enough battery to power the thing, to name but a few. With that in mind, it’s an impressive feat of engineering for Samsung to make its flagship foldable's weight comparable to other smartphones.
So why is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 set to be lighter than its predecessors? Well along with the usual generational design improvements, we know that the battery in the new model should be of a slightly lower capacity than its predecessor, clocking in at 4,380mAh, which should shave a little weight from the 4,500mAh cell used in the Galaxy Z Fold 2.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is expected this summer, likely in either July or August and virtually certain to debut alongside the company’s other foldable, the Z Flip 3. Thanks to screenshots supposedly taken from a marketing video, we know that Samsung could include the company’s first under-screen camera, and that the handset will support the S Pen, too.
While we haven’t seen any pricing leaks, given the original Galaxy Fold and sequel cost $1,980 and $1,999 respectively, it would be a huge surprise if the new model cost much less.
