Samsung’s Multi-Fold Design Revealed?
All the way back on January 5th I brought you guys news of a patent filed by Samsung for a multi-folding (tri-fold) device. While this patent did show a device that had some similarities to Huawei’s Mate XT, there were at least a few notable differences. Perhaps the most impactful difference is that rather than an “in-and-out” style, this device would see both exterior thirds folding inwards. Samsung Display calls this a G-Flex style device.
With this design, the soft inner screen would be fully shielded from the outside world. This would also necessitate the other major differences. The camera array would need to sit in the middle of the device with the cover display sitting either to the left or right of that.
What Would This Look Like?
With that in mind, I created a crude mock-up of what such a device would look like using my Z Fold6 as a reference and as it turns out, I was pretty close! Well, if this rumor is to be believed.
Tech leaker @PandaFlashPro posted an image on February 15th showing what they alleged to be an accurate render of the upcoming Samsung Multi-Fold device. The image was blurred as Panda said they didn’t want to “take a risk.” I would assume they were trying to avoid a DMCA takedown request from the often overly litigious Samsung. Typically, renders of a device can’t trigger such copywrite requests, so their may be something else going on. Their image was said to be based on dimensions sources provided and things were subject to change.
Only hours after posting the image, the post was deleted. Strangely, they have left an unblurred version of the image as their Twitter header.. Strange indeed. Regardless, I saved it.
The Differences
The render Panda posted shows a devices nearly identical to mine, except the cover display is a touch wider and the screen is on the other side. Beyond that, the device looks exactly how I imagined it would. Of course it’s important to remember that this is just a rumor for now and the available info could change dramatically over the next few months.
In a later Tweet Panda claimed that the G Fold as I’ll now begin calling it would have flat side rails just like the Fold7. The crease would apparently look more like the crease of the Fold6 with the camera array appearing very similarly to the Fold7.
He also mentioned that the device would start off launching in select markets with no word on exactly what that means. He did say that if sales are good we could see a launch in other regions later.
Code Names
Back on the 14th another tech leaker Max Jambor posted on Twitter a list of Samsung’s folding phone codenames for 2025. As best we can tell, this would be the breakdown.
B7 = Z Flip7
B7R = Z Flip Budget Model
Q7 = Z Fold7
Obviously, this would leave the G Fold out which is strange given the reporting that it is indeed coming in 2025. Luckily, Ross Young of DSCC chimed in to explain why its model number was missing. I do want to remind everyone that in the past, Galaxy Club had claimed the existence of a Q7M codename that Max has omitted. What that device would be is hard to say. It could be the G Fold or it could be total nonsense.