Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 could launch in August alongside Galaxy S21 FE

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold iii could launch in August alongside Galaxy S21 FE

(Image credit: Pigtou/xleaks)

Samsung's plans for releasing phones in the 2nd half of the yr are coming into focus. And it looks like the lower-cost Galaxy S21 FE will debut alongside updated versions of Samsung'south foldable phones at the same press effect later on this summer.

That'southward the word from South Korea's Yonhap, which is reporting that the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Milky way Z Flip 3 and Galaxy S21 FE volition all launch at the same fourth dimension. The report claims the phones will debut in late August, simply afterwards an event earlier in the month to showcase the new devices.

The best Samsung phones correct now
Galaxy S21 Iron vs. Galaxy S21: Biggest differences to expect
Plus: iPhone xiii leaks add together upwardly to a whole lot of meh — except for one upgrade

If true, that's a bit unlike from earlier rumors about Samsung'due south launch plans for its foldable phones. Earlier reports suggested the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip updates would come out in July. But even if the August appointment is correct, information technology would exist earlier than Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and the Milky way S20 Atomic number 26 last year. Both those phones shipped in the fall.

Samsung may accept a really strong incentive to release these phones sooner rather than later. The Yonhap written report goes on to say that Samsung "has decided not to release a new Galaxy Annotation this twelvemonth."

There's been no official word from Samsung on the status of the Galaxy Annotation 21. But the writing'southward been on the wall for the phone for some time, with rumors circulating since the start of the year that an updated phablet may not appear in 2021. In March, co-CEO DJ Koh told Bloomberg that the company was considering not releasing a Galaxy Note model this year in function because of chip shortages and in part to streamline its product lineup. Fifty-fifty if at that place'due south no new version in 2021, the Note series could return adjacent year, Samsung has said.

Samsung has emphasized that it wants to make foldable phones more mainstream this year, and an event that focuses on the Galaxy Z Fold three and Galaxy Z Flip 3 may be office of that strategy. Yonhap's report claims that Samsung is looking to brand the new Z Flip lighter than its predecessor, and it repeats an earlier study that Samsung is looking to drib the price on this year'south Galaxy Z Flip.

Equally for the Milky way Z Fold three, it's rumored to feature an under-display camera. That would exist a first for Samsung, though other phones take added the feature, such as the ZTE Axon 20 5G. You can look that the foldable phone volition join the Galaxy S21 Ultra in offering compatibility with Samsung'southward S Pen, making the Galaxy Z Fold 3 a potential stand-in for the Galaxy Note.

The Yonhap report doesn't contain too many new details about the Galaxy S21 Fe, though it does requite united states of america a better idea of what that phone will price. The S21 FE volition reportedly debut at 700,000 won in South korea — roughly $629 based on current substitution rates. That cost range is in line with what nosotros'd expect from a phone that's a cheaper version of the $799 Galaxy S21 that offers scaled-back features and specs.

All iii of the new Samsung phones slated for the August launch consequence are expected to be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 arrangement-on-chip, the aforementioned silicon found inside the S21 lineup.

Philip Michaels is a senior editor at Tom's Guide. He has potent opinions well-nigh Apple, the Oakland Athletics and one-time movies. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.