Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 2 or Z Flip 3? We might finally have an answer

Galaxy Z Flip 3 naming
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

What will Samsung’s next clamshell-style foldable be named? Will it be the Galaxy Z Flip 2 or the Galaxy Z Flip 3? Both have been suggested, but we may now have an answer.

According to sources speaking to Let’sGoDigital, Samsung will be skipping over the number two and jumping straight to the Galaxy Z Flip 3. That way the number will match the Galaxy Z Fold 3, which is due around the same time.

Samsung has long been a fan of lining up the names of its flagships so they match. In 2016, it skipped over the number six and launched the Galaxy Note 7, which matched the Galaxy S7 that had been released earlier that year. The Note 7 may have been an unquestionable disaster, but the numbering convention stuck around. 

Now it sounds like Samsung is doing the same thing with its foldable range. It’s not clear why, though Let’sGoDigital speculates that it could be to avoid people mistakenly assuming the Z Flip 2 is an older model than the Z Fold 3.

You could also argue that the new model will be the third one in the series, after the original Galaxy Z Flip and the Z Flip 5G; that’s a stretch, though, as the only major changes were the inclusion of 5G connectivity and a slightly more powerful chipset.

Really, the naming conventions of Samsung phones don’t need to make that much sense; it could decide to name it the Galaxy Z Flip 28 if it wanted to, though that would be a little unexpected.

We don’t know a lot about the Galaxy Z Flip 3 at this point, aside from the likelihood that it will improve upon what the Z Flip and Z Flip 5G managed. The design is expected to keep the clamshell-style flip phone aesthetic of previous models, but upgrades to the hinge and the inclusion of ultra thin glass are rumored. 

The Z Fold 3 is likewise something of a mystery, though recent reports claim that it will have a slightly smaller battery than its predecessor. That said, it is expected to come with an S Pen, which may slot into the phone and account for the decrease in capacity.

Both phones are currently expected to launch in July, at which point the whole naming situation will be put to rest once and for all.

Tom Pritchard
UK Phones Editor

Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.