The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 could get a much less visible fold thanks to a possible design change. According to a report on the Korean site NaverSamsung could use a “teardrop”-style hinge that allows the screen to form a teardrop shape when closed, creating a much softer curve that leaves less creases (through SamMobile).
While Samsung has definitely made improvements to the fold over the years, it’s still quite noticeable on its fourth-generation foldables. Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 use a “U”-shaped hinge design that angles the screen at a sharper angle when closed. This creates a more prominent crease and also puts more emphasis on the screen.
Other foldable smartphones have already switched to a teardrop hinge to avoid these problems, such as the Oppo Find N2, which has a noticeable unnoticeable fold when unfolded along with the third generation Motorola Razr.
As pointed out by Naver, Samsung initially patented a teardrop hinge back in 2016, though we don’t know why it hasn’t decided to use it until now. SamMobile speculates that Samsung wanted to wait until it could add an IPX8 water-resistance rating to the new screen, which it first introduced on its third-generation folding devices in 2021. That could help differentiate Samsung’s foldable phones from Oppo’s Find N2 and the Motorola Razr, as neither device is suitable for water resistance.
In addition to a more subtle crease, Naver reports that the design of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 can also allow both halves of the screen to sit flat against each other when the phone is closed, unlike previous generations of the Galaxy Z Fold which have a leave a small gap. This should (hopefully) make the device a little easier to fit in your pocket.
It’s still not clear if Samsung will bring the teardrop hinge to the Galaxy Z Flip 5, and we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out, as Samsung is expected to unveil the new foldable phones in August. At least we have next month’s Galaxy Unpacked event to look forward to, where the company will likely unbox the Galaxy S23.
