A few rumors claiming to uncover Samsung's plans for the foldable market in 2021 have already emerged and the latest such report attempts to shed more light on the entire lineup for next year. According to The Elec citing OLED research firm UBI Research, Samsung has finally decided it will release three foldable models in 2021.
Samsung began its journey into the foldable display era with the original Galaxy Fold but it didn't take long for the company to kickstart a second form factor through the release of the Galaxy Z Flip. Next year the company is expected to revitalize these two lineups with new Galaxy Z Flip 2 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 models, but according to the source, Samsung will also introduce a more budget-oriented Galaxy Z Fold Lite next year.
Galaxy Z Fold Lite is back in the news, Z Flip Lite is out?
This isn't the first time we're hearing about a ‘Lite' foldable device being planned by Samsung for 2021 but so far the rumors are split. There are some that claim Samsung will be launching a Galaxy Z Fold Lite next year, while other rumors suggest that the budget variant will be a clamshell. According to UBI Research, Samsung's budget-oriented foldable will be a Galaxy Fold, not a Flip.
The research firm also revealed a couple of specs pertaining to the Lite model's displays. The so-called Galaxy Z Fold Lite will supposedly have a 7-inch foldable panel and a small 4-inch cover display. Worryingly, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is said to share the same characteristics.
Galaxy Z Fold 3 to have a small cover display (again)?
Samsung will supposedly take a step backwards with the full-fledged Galaxy Z Fold 3 by equipping it with a smaller 4-inch cover display. If true, it would be a tough pill to swallow. The 4.6-inch cover display of the original Galaxy Fold was the phone's biggest weakness in terms of user experience and usability, and Samsung acknowledged this when it released the Galaxy Z Fold 2 with a larger 6.23-inch cover display.
Having said that, we can't think of a good reason why Samsung would take a massive step backwards with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 but that's what the latest report suggests. On the bright side, this downgrade would be contrasted by improvements in other areas, such as the selfie camera which will supposedly be hidden behind the display. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is also said to have a foldable screen strong enough to work with an S Pen so perhaps Samsung doesn't feel like the cover display will be as relevant as it is now.
Galaxy Z Flip 2 to have a larger 3-inch cover display
Finally, the report suggests that although Samsung will shrink the Galaxy Z Fold 3's cover display, it will do the exact opposite for the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 2. The ongoing Galaxy Z Flip has a 1.1-inch display that provides quick information at a glance but the Galaxy Z Flip 2's external screen will supposedly have a 3-inch diagonal.
This could drastically change the way users interact with the Galaxy Z Flip 2. A larger 3-inch display would certainly be a better match for One UI 3's new lock screen widgets, and it should enable users to perform more tasks without having to flip open the phone.
Join us in the comment section below and let us know how you feel about these alleged changes to Samsung's 2021 foldable lineup. Keep in mind that the information above is not official but it is subject to change and it's still unclear what route Samsung will take for the budget Lite foldable. Which form factor would you prefer?
