Foresight: The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a stunning, albeit expensive, phone, but one design element that may put consumers off is the screen crease that is visible when the handset is fully open. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, which will arrive later this year, could solve this problem thanks to a droplet-style hinge.
As Korean publication Naver (via SamMobile) reports, Samsung may be using a droplet-shaped hinge that would allow the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s screen to form a teardrop shape when closed. Not only would this allow the screen to fold completely flat, instead of having a slight gap like the Z Fold 4, but it would also mean an almost invisible crease when the screen is fully open. The new design is also said to increase the screen’s durability and the number of folds/unfolds it can withstand; the Z Fold 4 can handle over 200,000 folds before it fails.
We love the Galaxy Z Fold 4, giving it an 85 in our test. Samsung has reduced the visibility of the screen crease in its latest version of the Fold series, but the shallow indentation is still noticeable when running a finger over the screen, and the line is more prominent against a dark background and viewed from an angle. For some, including this writer, the Fold doesn’t outweigh the Fold 4’s many positives, but it’s a deal-breaker for others. A droplet-style hinge similar to those used in other foldable/tilting phones could virtually obliterate the center line.
Samsung patented the droplet design, which it calls dumbbell, in 2016, though it’s only now being introduced to its phones, possibly because the company expected it to work alongside the resistance rating. IPX8 water, which arrived in Samsung foldables in 2021.
The original Fold, you may recall, had a disastrous time in 2019. Several pre-launch review models broke, forcing Samsung to delay the official launch from April to September. Each iteration has improved on that original design, and the fifth version might fix one of its biggest remaining problems. Hopefully the next thing Samsung addresses is price.
