Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 shown off in unofficial hands-on video right before Unpacked

samsung galaxy z fold 3 z flip 3 hands on leak
(Image credit: Clideo)

The next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, and the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, may only be hours away, but that doesn’t mean the leaks and rumors have stopped. Far from it, with an alleged hands-on video of both phones appearing online.

While the original video has since been removed, it has been reuploaded elsewhere, and it looks like some key rumors, such as an under-display camera may have been on the money.

As you can see in the video below, the hands-on features what appear to be the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 being handled and used. And since both phones feature some design choices specific to what we’ve heard both phones could feature, it seems likely that they are Samsung’s newest foldables, rather than older models.

The main thing to note here is that the person in the video shows off the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s under display camera, something that has been rumored for quite some time. The camera can be seen on the top right-hand side of the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s internal screen, though we don’t get to see it actually take any photos.

Under-display cameras are not new, and we’ve previously seen them on the ZTE Axon 20 5G and the newly-announced Xiaomi Mi Mix 4. But they’re still rare, and the fact Samsung is seemingly adding one to its next flagship is a big deal. However rumors point to the lens having a 4MP sensor, and considering what we’ve seen before we shouldn’t expect photos that are anything more than ‘acceptable.'

Beyond that, the video only really shows the basics, if it is indeed legit. We see the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s supposedly larger cover display, The Galaxy Z Fold 3’s new triple-lens main camera array, and plenty of folding and rotating going on. Though since we’ve all seen foldable phones before, this isn’t all that exciting. 

Unfortunately the video doesn’t show off the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s biggest upgrade: S Pen compatibility. While Samsung has already confirmed that the phone will have some sort of stylus support, we'd need to see it in action to be convinced if it can replace the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Especially since the flexible glass used in the Z Fold range is more fragile than the stuff you’d find on a Galaxy Note 20 or Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Galaxy Unpacked isn’t just about foldables, though that's the main focus. Samsung is also expected to launch the rumored Galaxy Buds 2, complete with active noise cancelling, and the Galaxy Watch 4, which is set to be one of the first new watches to enjoy the revamped version of Wear OS.

The event kicks off at 10 a.m. ET later today, and you can find out how to watch Galaxy Unpacked right here.

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.