Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Nothing is 100% official yet, but you can bet your bottom dollar that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is on the way. The South Korean tech giant has a big announcement about its latest foldable devices coming up, and following the success of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and the Z Fold 4 in 2022, Samsung is looking to put more focus on this line in the coming years. It makes sense that the most premium of the handsets will get a successor. With that in mind, we’ll turn our focus to when exactly the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 release date might be.
Let’s break down what we know, what we can guess, and what other interesting factors might be at play.
THE SHORT ANSWER
While it hasn’t been officially announced, we’re expecting to see the Galaxy Z Fold 5 launched at a Galaxy Unpacked event on or around July 26. A pre-order period will likely follow, and the device will be released on August 11.
KEY SECTIONS
When is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 coming out?
- Samsung Galaxy Fold — March 20, 2019
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 — August 5, 2020
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 — August 24, 2021
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 — August 10, 2022
As you can see from the release dates of the previous generations of the Z Fold, August 2023 was a decent bet for the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 5. But the release date has danced about within that month, and we now have reason to believe that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 may arrive a little ahead of that schedule.
Samsung recently confirmed that it would launch its next generation of foldable phones — of which the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will undoubtedly be one — at the end of July in its home country of Seoul during its 27th Galaxy Unpacked event. No specific date has yet been cited.
That’s as much as we’ve had officially confirmed, but there are rumors that can help us narrow it down. According to the Korean media outlet Chosun, the event will be held on July 26, which sounds like a reasonable estimate. It’s very common for Samsung to host a Galaxy Unpacked event on a Wednesday for maximum media focus in the middle of the week. July 26 is the last Wednesday of the month, so we like it as a working hypothesis. We probably won’t have to wait for too long to get more clarity from the OEM.
Will the Galaxy Z Fold 5 be available at launch?
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
It’s unlikely that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will become available to buy on its launch date. At least, that’s what history and the rumors tell us.
In recent years, Samsung has followed a consistent strategy of unveiling their latest flagship phones at a Galaxy Unpacked event and opening up pre-orders on the same day. The actual release of the phone would then occur a couple of weeks later. This pattern held true for the launch of the Galaxy S23 line, as well as previous generations of foldable devices. For example, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 was announced on August 10, 2022, and became available for purchase 16 days later on August 26.
According to the leaks from Chosun, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 release date will be Friday, August 11, 2023. This aligns with Samsung’s preference for launching devices on a Wednesday and eventually releasing them on a Friday just over two weeks later.
This is our best guess, but we can’t completely rule out that Samsung will surprise us by deviating from this strategy. We thought that Google would launch the Pixel 7a at the I/O event in May and fire the starting pistol on a pre-order period, but the Samsung rival made the phone available to buy immediately. Nothing’s off the table, but for now, we’ll work with the information that we have.
Will there be a livestream of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 launch?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
A livestream of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 launch is certainly something you can hang your hat on. Samsung will be looking for maximum publicity and keen to put on a show. All recent Galaxy Unpacked events have been live-streamed, and this one that Samsung has confirmed will be no different. It’s due to take place in the manufacturer’s home city of Seoul, but you’ll be able to catch it online.
Among other places, you’ll be able to watch the Galaxy Unpacked livestream on Samsung.com or on Samsung’s YouTube channel. We’ll also link the stream live on Android Authority and be giving you the headline announcements as they happen.
What other products will Samsung be announcing at the Z Fold 5 launch event?
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
If Samsung’s launch of its new foldable devices includes the Galaxy Z Fold 5, it will also feature the Galaxy Z Flip 5. Rumors and announcements regarding the Galaxy Z Flip 5 mirror those of its larger sibling, and given that the Z Flip 4 was the better-selling of the two foldable handsets last year, you just know that it will be getting a successor. Competition in this market is heating up from rival brands such as Google and Motorola, so Samsung will be looking to parlay its first-mover advantage.
Another highly expected set of devices will be the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 range. This flagship wearable has seen success with annual releases, making it unlikely for Samsung to discontinue it now. In the past, the Galaxy Watch series debuted at an Unpacked event in August, leading us to believe that the smartwatch will accompany the Z Fold 5 in late July. The presence of a Classic or Pro variant is less easy to predict. Maybe the latter seems more probable, but time will tell.
While it may be too early to discuss the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, an upgrade to the original wireless earbuds is expected. Samsung doesn’t tend to do annual releases in every line of its ‘buds, but it has two ranges to maintain. Given that the original Galaxy Buds launched in March 2019 and the second generation launched in August 2021, it’s likely that the Galaxy Buds 3 will be unveiled at the upcoming event, complementing the new handsets and wearables.
There are also credible leaks indicating that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, including Plus and Ultra versions, will also be unveiled. The Galaxy Tab S7 was launched around 18 months before the Tab S8, and the July 26 event aligns with a continuation of that 18-month timeframe, suggesting a first look at the latest Android tablets is imminent.
Samsung may have even more hardware up its sleeve. Earlier leaks hinted at a second generation of the Galaxy SmartTag, featuring improved wireless range, security, and battery life. While not confirmed, it remains a potential addition to the lineup.
Will the Galaxy Z Fold 5 be available globally?
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
You bet. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 release date may be staggered across different regions, but we expect to eventually see it in every market in which Samsung has a presence. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 had global releases, and we have no reason to think that will change for the latest foldables, especially in light of more competition from its rivals.
The 2022 Samsung foldable lineup eventually became available in over 130 countries worldwide. We’re expecting the same from the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Those countries include the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, India, and of course, South Korea.
FAQs
The short answer is that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 probably won’t come with the S Pen, even though we think it should. It will likely have S Pen support as its predecessors do, but that’s not the same as having the capacity to carry the physical pen around with the device. Assuming we’re right about this, you may want to purchase both the S Pen and a case that includes a slot for it to get the full potential of this functionality. We realize that could be a bit galling after you’ve just spent $1,800 on your new device.
It seems likely that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be waterproof. One tipster with a varying hit rate revealed earlier in the year that both the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 handsets might boast an IP_8-level of waterproofing. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has the same rating, so we think it’s a safe bet.
It’s more than likely that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will come with a screen protector. Its predecessor did, and it’s a nice touch from the manufacturer to add one at very little extra production cost. You can always remove it if it’s not to your liking.
It’s highly unlikely that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will have an SD card slot. No foldable device from Samsung has had one so far, nor do the other premium flagships from the OEM. Not only does an SD card slot add a bit to the production costs, but it also makes it harder for the manufacturer to upsell you a higher storage variant of the device, so don’t hold your breath on this one.
