Since the launch of the Galaxy Fold, Samsung has been working on various foldable smartphones. The company launched the Galaxy Z Flip earlier this year and it reportedly has plans to launch the Galaxy Fold 2 in Q3 2020. It is also being rumored that Samsung will launch a cheaper version of the Galaxy Fold with a mix of different hardware components from 2018, 2019, and 2020.
A new patent filed by the South Korean smartphone giant reveals that it has been working on a foldable phone design that features a much smaller cover display. As you can see in the drawings below, the foldable phone seems to have a corner-notched screen on the inside and a thin strip of screen on the outside. Due to the cover display's aspect ratio, we don't think it could be used for anything other than checking notifications and taking calls.
There appears to be a dual-camera setup residing inside the main screen's notch, similar to the original Galaxy Fold. At the rear, the foldable phone seems to feature a triple-camera setup, and one of those sensors could be placed behind a periscope-style optical zoom lens. The drawing also shows a side-mounted fingerprint reader, stereo speakers, and a USB Type-C port.
Future Galaxy Fold smartphone could also have dust and water-resistant design
The patent also reveals that the phone could have an IP rating for dust and water resistance. None of the foldable phones that have been launched so far have dust and water-resistant designs. If Samsung pulls off a foldable phone that is resistant to dust and water, it would be quite an achievement. This also gives us hopes of the Galaxy Fold 2 featuring an IP rating.
It is being rumored that Samsung is planning to launch an affordable version of the Galaxy Fold called Galaxy Fold Lite. It will reportedly feature 4G LTE, an internal screen with plastic film protection, a small cover display, an aluminum-and-glass body, 256GB internal storage, and a $1,099 price tag. A separate rumor also claims that the company is planning to sell a limited-edition Galaxy Fold for just $1,099.
What do you think of this possible Galaxy Fold Lite design? Would you buy a foldable phone with a small external display? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
