Samsung Galaxy Z Flip to get its biggest missing feature

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip could be getting a 5G version, matching the networking abilities of the Samsung Galaxy S20. However, it's still got most of the same pros and cons as the original foldable.

SamMobile (via TechRadar) has claimed that there will be a single Galaxy Z Flip 5G model, with the Samsung-focussed site recently revealing that this new model will come with 256GB of storage just like the original LTE version. The model numbers found by SamMobile indicate there will be a South Korean and European/Australian release for this phone, but hopefully we'll see this phone in the US too.

Hopefully this upgrade also means Samsung is upgrading the CPU. The Snapdragon 865, the successor to the Snapdragon 855 chip in the Z Flip, has 5G compatibility by default, so Samsung could boost the performance of its foldable phone while also adding more advanced wireless support.

One of our criticisms of the phone was its lack of 5G networking, unlike the all-5G S20 series that launched at the same time. The addition of 5G probably won't help the big $1,400 asking price though, and there's no rumor of any changes to the phone's body to fix the creasing across the bend in the display. However, this is a welcome addition to the most competent foldable on the market right now.

That might not be the case for long though. We're expecting the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, to arrive around August alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 20. The Fold 2 is tipped to be a major improvement over the flawed original, with upgraded cameras, revamped displays and perhaps the addition of an S-Pen stylus to make the most of the large unfolded screen.

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.