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Samsung is rumored to launch a bunch of new foldable smartphones later this year including the highly anticipated Galaxy Z Fold3, Galaxy Z Flip 5G successor, and an affordable ‘Galaxy Z Fold Lite’ as well. It goes without saying that Samsung has done an impressive job when it comes to the engineering behind its latest foldable phones, but there is still one area where they prove to be an expensive yet delicate investment – protection against dust and water.  Or in the lingo of smartphone spec nerds, the absence of an Ingress Protection (IPXX) rating. However, that might change with the next generation of Samsung’s foldable phones, as per a report from SamMobile.

To recall, the pricey Galaxy Z Fold2 doesn’t come with an IP certification for protection against dust and water exposure. Instead, Samsung claims to use what it calls an ‘Anti-Erosion Waterproof Coating” on the device. The company hasn’t gone into details regarding how effective it is, but it is quite likely no match for the protection offered by an IP67-rated or IP68-rated device like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Samsung’s foldables are powerful machines, and the form factor adds to their versatility. But one has to be extra careful while using them, especially when it comes to dust and water exposure. The hinge, in particular, is the region that allows dust particles to make their way inside the device and beneath the display. Remember the display fiasco that surrounded the first-gen Galaxy Fold, thanks in no part to an exposed hinge mechanism that caused particles to reach beneath the flexible panel and caused pixel damage?

If Samsung indeed managed to offer proper IP-certified dust and water resistance on its upcoming foldable phones, they might find more buyers who are otherwise dissuaded by the delicate nature of these expensive phones. Samsung has also reportedly been working to improve the Ultrathin Glass (UTG) technology to further enhance the durability of the screen on its next wave of foldable phones.

The post Samsung foldable phones might shed their fragility against dust and water in 2021 appeared first on Pocketnow.

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Earlier today, we came across a major report citing how badly the global semiconductor shortage and related component supply issues are hitting Samsung. The crunch ahead is so severe that Samsung is skipping the launch of a Galaxy Note series phone this year, and will only return to the series next year, or even later. However, plans for two new foldable devices are still intact.

As per a report by SamMobile, Samsung is planning to launch successors to the Galaxy Z Fold2 and Galaxy Z Flip at some point in Q3 2021. Tentatively called the Galaxy Z Flip3 and Galaxy Z Flip2, the new Samsung foldable devices will bring upgraded internals to the table, however, exact details about the changes that are in the pipeline are not known yet.

Interestingly, the Galaxy Z Fold3 will somewhat try to fill the void left by a new Galaxy Note series phone this year by offering support for an S Pen. As per rumors, Samsung is at work modifying the inherent technology that will allow users to take full advantage of the Galaxy Z Fold3’s larger inner display by using an S Pen. And more importantly, the phone will have a dedicated slot to house the stylus, as per rumors. 

Notably, we got signs of the aforementioned happening earlier this year, when Samsung added stylus support to the Galaxy S21 Ultra. However, the camera-centric flagship doesn’t have an S Pen slot, and is currently using a stylus that misses out on the advanced S Pen features that we had access to with the Galaxy Note 20 duo. 

SamMobile further claims that a successor to the popular Galaxy S20 FE aka Fan Edition is coming in Q4 2021. Now, this one is hardly surprising. Samsung confirmed a while ago that it will launch Fan Edition versions of its Galaxy S flagships each year moving forward. Tentatively called the Galaxy S21 FE, we can expect it to feature a flagship SoC, offer 5G support, and pack powerful camera hardware as well as tricks inherited from the Galaxy S21 series. 

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 and Galaxy Z Flip successors will debut in Q3 2021: Report appeared first on Pocketnow.

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