The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 design might not represent the meaningful step forward that we were hoping for, following claims that two much sought after improvements will be missing.
Serial tipster Ice Universe has claimed that two much hoped for design developments will not be coming to the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
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For one thing, the leaker claims that Galaxy Z Fold 5 will still have a similarly prominent crease despite moving to a new waterdrop hinge design. The latter is being adopted in the wake of similar improved hinge systems from the Oppo Find N2 Flip and the Motorola Razr, but the Fold 5 won’t produce a noticeably flatter strip where the phone unfolds, unlike said rivals.
This is the second time in a month that the tipster has received this piece of information, which would seem to increase the likelihood of its accuracy.
Another deflating tidbit from the tipster is that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will not, after all, pack IP58 certification.
It had been rumoured that Samsung was finally addressing the lack of dust ingress on foldable phones. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 was effectively waterproof, but with an IPX8 rating it couldn’t provide the same protection from physical debris.
We should point out that no other foldable phone maker has solved this issue yet either. Neither of the aforementioned rivals, nor the brand new Google Pixel Fold, can claim to be able to keep the dust out.
The reason this is a particular disappointment is because there had been rumours of progress in this department ahead of the Fold 5 launch. Also, Samsung is the pioneer in this field, so if anyone was going to achieve IP58 certification (or something similar) first, we would have expected it to be Samsung.
Maybe next year, eh?