The next foldable phone from Samsung should technically be more resilient compared to the original Galaxy Fold. The company took the time following the Fold's release to iron out some of the kinks in this new emerging display technology, and the Galaxy Z Flip is said to employ both ultra-thin glass and a plastic layer for better screen protection.
Samsung might not be stopping here, though. The display substrate seems to be only one aspect that may have been improved with the Galaxy Z Flip, and some changes appear to have been done to the bezel itself.
Shortly after the recent Galaxy Z Flip renders leaked, Twitter user @PhoneDesigner was quick to point out that the clamshell appears to have a couple of extra bumpers on top of its relatively thick bezel. They seem to keep the two halves of the phone at a distance of a few millimeters from each other whenever the device is folded shut.
These bumpers are not an entirely new development…
It's important to point out that these bumpers are not entirely new. In fact, similar bumpers were added by Samsung's Repair Centers to some existing Galaxy Fold units before they've sent them back to customers. These bumpers didn't receive an explanation and they were simply attached to the phone's bezel with adhesive, which made them very easy to remove.
The exact purpose of these bumpers is not entirely clear, or at least it's never been explained by the OEM, but Samsung appears to have attached these bumpers to mitigate the physical shock that may be experienced by some components – particularly the fragile flexible screen – whenever the phone is forcefully folded shut.
The addition of these bumpers probably won't change much in regards to how the public will perceive the Galaxy Z Flip once it will be unveiled at Unpacked on February 11, but if they'll make the phone more resilient then it's difficult to argue against them; even if they may be a bit of an eyesore on close inspection.
