Unofficial renders show a phone that closely resembles the Z Fold 4, but with one key difference

(Image credit: Smartprix / Onleaks)

While we wait patiently for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 to get its grand unveiling, some unofficial renders of the foldable have appeared online. These are third-party renders, based on information from a variety of sources that has leaked out so far.

The images are courtesy of the well-known leak-monger OnLeaks (opens in new tab) and Smartprix (opens in new tab), and they show a phone that's very much like the Galaxy Z Fold 4 that was launched last year. It looks like there won't be any massive design changes this time around, assuming the renders are accurate.

That's partly to be expected – most of the best foldable phones look similar, because there are only so many ways you can change the form factor. But that doesn't mean it looks identical to its predecessor. For instance, on the rear camera module the flash has moved to the side of the camera lenses, rather than sitting underneath them.

Dimension details

What will be different, apparently, are the dimensions of the device. The Z Fold 5 is said to measure 154.9 mm x 129.9 mm x 6.3 mm when unfolded, compared with 155.1 mm x 130.1 mm x 6.3 mm for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4.

When folded, meanwhile, the new phone is said to be a few millimeters thinner than its predecessor, thanks to the introduction of a waterdrop hinge on the Z Fold 5 that will enable both sides of the screen to lie fully flat against each other.

However, it would seem that the biggest upgrade is going to be on the inside, with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 rumored to be powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. 

Analysis: design changes cost money

It always adds a little bit of extra interest to a phone launch when there are significant design changes to talk about – but as we mentioned earlier, it's hard to see too many ways to innovate when it comes to two slabs of glass and metal folding against each other.

What's more, design changes cost money. If the Z Fold 5 looks similar to the Z Fold 4, then Samsung may well already be able to use existing components and manufacturing lines to get the handset out to the masses.

When your profits have been declining as fast as Samsung's over recent months, saving money is important. Let's hope that some of the savings are passed on to consumers – the Z Fold 5 is rumored to cost the same as its predecessor (from $1,799 / £1,649 / AU$2,499).

It looks as though we might have to wait for next year for the design of this foldable to be significantly different: the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will reportedly come with a "major form factor change", but what exactly that looks like remains to be seen.

Still, the wait to see the latest version won't be quite so long, with the most recent Z Fold 5 release date rumor suggesting both this handset and its Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 sibling could launch before the end of July.

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