Leaked Galaxy Z Fold (2) Lite specs hint at respectable but pricey device

The Galaxy Z Fold Lite may not be as “lite” as that name would have you believe, according to its purported spec sheet which leaked online earlier today. The list, while incomplete, points toward a pretty respectable smartphone irrespective of its novel form factor. More specifically, the Galaxy Z Fold Lite is said to feature hardware on par with Samsung’s 2019 flagships, including the Exynos 9825, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of flash storage, and a 7.2-inch Super AMOLED display that bends in half thanks to a layer of Ultra Thin Glass (UTG).

The outfolding screen is expected to support a still-unspecified FHD+ resolution. Sitting on the opposite side should be a relatively modest cover display intended primarily for glancing notifications. What’s more, it’s becoming increasingly more likely that Samsung will market the upcoming smartphone as the Galaxy Z Fold 2 Lite. Which would be another mouthful of a gem brought to you by whatever plane of consciousness its marketing people currently inhabit.

Have received some specifications of the device. In all likelihood, the device will feature:

7.2 inch super AMOLED FHD+ UTG
256GB storage
smaller front display mainly for notifications
Flex mode, oneUI 2.5
12GB RAM#samsung #samsunggalaxyzfold2lite https://t.co/LOiunt5cxC

— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) September 5, 2020

Not as ‘lite’ as anticipated – but also not as affordable

The popular Flex Mode that first debuted on the Galaxy Z Flip is said to be making a return with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 Lite, which would make sense seeing how Samsung already confirmed the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will offer it as well. And as for its Lite-branded counterpart, the smartphone is expected to run One UI 2.5 based on Android 10 out of the box. And while all of that seems to point toward a highly capable device, the caveat is that there may be a highly debatable price tag to go alongside it. More specifically, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 Lite is alleged to cost around $1,600, at least in India, where its release price is said to amount to Rs 118,000.

While still significantly more affordable than the Galaxy Z Fold 2 — expected to hit India at nearly $2,400, or Rs 175,000 — the rumored figure isn’t exactly as accessible as the “Lite” moniker would normally suggest. So, in a way, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 Lite is shaping up to be a smartphone that will serve as Samsung’s attempt to redefine that label from the ground up, both in terms of features and pricing.

We’ve been hearing about a potential Galaxy Z Fold Lite for months now, as first reports of such a handset being in the works emerged back in late spring. And the rumor mill took us for a pretty wild ride ever since, at least as far as the gadget’s price tag is concerned. Today’s suggestion of a $1,610 asking fee stands in stark contrast to a late June report that indicated the Galaxy Z Fold 2 Lite may start at as low as $900. Only time will tell where exactly on that spectrum Samsung’s upcoming device lands, but as things stand right now, the possibility of another mid-range Galaxy foldable with a démodé flagship chip seems highly credible.

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Galaxy Z Fold S is a Surface Duo-like foldable coming in 2021: rumor

Samsung’s third separate family of foldable smartphones may directly rival Microsoft’s troubled Surface Duo series, as per a newly emerged industry rumor. We already learned about the lineup in question – called the Galaxy Z Fold S – late last month as part of a more comprehensive insider account of Samsung’s near-term foldable strategy. The previous allegations coincide with today’s rumor, which describes the Galaxy Z Fold S as a device with a 360-degree hinge, i.e. one that allows its display to fold both inward and outward.

“Display,” singular, because the Galaxy Z Fold S will reportedly feature just one bendable OLED panel as opposed to doing an impression of the ZTE Axon M, which is how a cynic might describe the two-screen form factor of the Surface Duo.

Imagine the Microsoft Surface Duo, but better

The other side of the Galaxy Z Fold S is said to be covered in glass, though it’s presently unclear whether it might feature a secondary cover display in the vein of the original Galaxy Fold and the newly launched Galaxy Z Fold 2. While the overall package definitely sounds like a better version of the Surface Duo, that’s hardly an indicator of commercial success. After all, many doubts continue to surround Microsoft’s upcoming foldable, and that’s without accounting for the skepticism regarding Microsoft’s ability to even deliver such an unconventional gadget in these trying times. As a reminder, most recent industry rumblings suggest the Surface Duo was hit with yet another delay and won’t be out in most markets before 2021.

Coincidentally, that’s also the time frame given for the release of the Galaxy Z Fold S. With no other details currently available, it remains to be seen whether this rumored smartphone-tablet hybrid ends up featuring specs worthy of a full-fledged 2021 flagship, or be closer to the Galaxy Z Flip series in terms of relative computing prowess. Assuming it even exists, of course.

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Galaxy S21, S21+ battery capacities confirmed in underwhelming leak

Samsung’s first 2021 flagships are shaping up to be rather unremarkable in the battery department, with newly emerged certificates suggesting no notable improvements in terms of raw capacities. More specifically, China’s telecom authority CCC just certfied a pair of batteries believed to belong to the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+, identified as the EB-BG991ABY and EB-BG996ABY, respectively. We’d already learned about the latter several weeks back, and today’s 3C certificate gives more credibility to that earlier sighting as it once again points to a cell with a rated capacity of 4,660mAh.

As for the EB-BG991ABY, the same certification points to a 3,880mAh rating, which would suggest a typical capacity in the ballpark of 4,000mAh. In other words, the base Galaxy S21 (SM-G991) model will likely offer no changes in terms of battery capacity over this year’s Galaxy S20.

Similar battery capacities don’t necessarily equate to identical battery life

The Galaxy S20+ successor, on the other hand, will seemingly deliver a more meaningful upgrade as far as raw figures are concerned, because the now-twice-confirmed 4,660mAh rating should amount to a typical battery capacity of about 4,800mAh. For added context, the integrated cell of the Galaxy S20+ offers 4,500mAh of typical capacity.

Of course, minor capacity improvements don’t necessarily mean the upcoming Android flagships won’t offer significantly better battery life in real-world scenarios. But they do make that possibility less likely, especially for the international models expected to utilize the Exynos 1000 SoC, as most recently illustrated by Samsung’s struggles with the Exynos 990 over the course of this year.

In any case, it’s worth remembering that Samsung still hasn’t firmly decided how it’s going to call the successors to the Galaxy S20-series devices. Besides “Galaxy S21,” another obvious candidate for the name of the upcoming lineup is “Galaxy S30.” The company is likely to make a final decision on the matter by the end of the year, around the time its new flagships have their first trial production run. As always, the Galaxy S21/S30 family is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2021, most likely in February.

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Weekly SamMobile Quiz 42 – Come test your Samsung knowledge!

Fancy yourself as a Samsung superfan? Take our quiz and see how many answers you can get right! This is a fun activity that we do with our readers every week to test their knowledge of the Korean giant. The quiz has a mix of easy and difficult questions that most fans should be able to answer without turning to Google.

We make a new quiz for you every weekend so we hope that you’ll participate and learn a thing or two about Samsung in the process! Don’t forget to share the results of the quiz with your friends and see if you can outscore them. A little competition never hurt anybody!

Remember, if the quiz isn’t loading properly, please access the non-AMP version of this webpage.

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Samsung keen to maintain foldable lead as market doubles in 2021

The competition in the foldable smartphone space is heating up, but Samsung remains confident it can maintain its leadership in the segment moving forward. Its next move is hence to double the production volume of the Galaxy Z Fold 2, its second-generation foldable flagship and the third such mobile device overall. Whereas the company manufactured about 400,000 Galaxy Folds last year, it’s now aiming for an output between 700,000 and 800,000 units of the Galaxy Z Fold 2.

Samsung officials believe this quite literal act of doubling down on their foldable bet will be sufficient to maintain the conglomerate’s foldable smartphone lead in the near term, as per a newly emerged report out of South Korea.

Will third time be the charm for Samsung’s foldable ambitions?

This statement of confidence arrives just as industry watchers began forecasting the global market for foldable smartphones will almost double in the immediate future, going from 4.5 million units this year to 8 million units in 2021. Of course, those figures describe estimates of shipments, not sales. Meaning that while Samsung and smaller rivals such as LG and Motorola are bullish enough to double their manufacturing output, it remains to be seen whether the market responds in kind. Especially given the high economic uncertainty stemming from everything that’s been happening throughout this year.

Whatever the case may be, expect Samsung to become even more aggressive on the foldable smartphone front in the next 15 months. As things stand right now, its most serious rival with the most refined product is Microsoft, whose first competing product isn’t even a “real” foldable with a bendable screen, but a gadget that simply connects two separate displays with a hinge. Not to mention the Surface Duo has been getting delayed for months now and may not even arrive outside the US until early 2021.

Between that and Huawei struggling to keep the lights on due to U.S. sanctions (at least in the smartphone market), it’s no wonder Samsung is feeling confident about its foldable endeavors. What remains to be seen is how it performs in this nascent market beyond 2021.

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