Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 leak reveals stunning new design

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The first official looking render of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is here as Samsung teases a new look

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
(Image credit: Ben Geskin)

A Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 render has leaked online, and it has interesting implications for the foldable's design — including a branding shift to Galaxy Z Fold 2.

Brought to us by render artist and leaker Ben Geskin via Twitter, the render looks like it could be Samsung's own marketing material. It even reads "Galaxy Z Fold 2" — the rumored new foldable's name — in Samsung's device font.

The image of the phone itself isn't the sharpest render we've seen, but it might be the most accurate. It sports the Samsung Galaxy Note 20's leaked camera array, as well as the rumored copper color.

Samsung teases Galaxy Fold 2: 'A new look unfolds'

Samsung posted a foldable teaser the official Samsung Twitter account, and while it doesn't have anything specific to say other than reminding us that its Galaxy Unpacked event takes place on August 5, there are some big clues as to what it may represent.

To start with the obvious stuff, Samsung specifically mentions 'unfold' within the caption, and the mercurial blob turns into a butterfly shape, which was a big part of the original Samsung Galaxy Fold's iconography.

The color of these shapes looks to be what we think is called "Mystic Bronze", Samsung's signature color for the phones it plans to release this fall. This includes not just the Fold 2 but also the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G. We expect all three of these devices to appear at Galaxy Unpacked, although there are rumors that their release dates will be staggered by a couple of months.

Since the caption also talks about "a new look", it sounds like Samsung wants to prepare the world for a drastic redesign for the Fold 2. While the original Galaxy Fold didn't look bad, it had some unfortunate design elements. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2: Changes to expect

The large notch on the interior screen looked a little old fashioned. But the main issue was that the hinge mechanism proved unreliable on the first wave of review units and was all too easily damaged. Samsung had to go back and make several enhancements.

Since the Galaxy Fold was released last year, Samsung has now shown it can make a good foldable phone in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. For example, the use of Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) as a material for the Z Flip's screen offered a great mix of flexibility and strength, and a special interior brush mechanism helps keep the Z Flip's hinge clear of debris. We hope that the Fold 2 will therefore be a much more competent product by also using these features.

Other rumors concerning the Galaxy Fold 2 have revealed some interesting details about the phone's specs. While it will be sold at the same eye-watering $2,000 price as its predecessor, the Fold 2 should offer more refined features in exchange. That includes a 120Hz 7.7-inch interior display with a punch-hole camera, an exterior 6.23-inch display and a powerful combination of a Snapdragon 865 chipset with 12GB RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage.

The Fold 2 is also thought to use front and rear cameras that borrow the excellent suite of sensors from the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus. That would give the new foldable a 12MP main lens, a 64MP telephoto lens, a 12MP ultra-wide lens and two 10MP selfie cameras, one embedded in the exterior and interior displays each.

Richard Priday
Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.