Galaxy Z Fold 5: Samsung’s biggest weakness is the Fold’s greatest strength?

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Galaxy Z Fold 5: Samsung’s biggest weakness is the Fold’s greatest strength?

Considering Samsung is on the 5th gen Galaxy Z Fold, there’s no denying that there are sleeker, more exciting folding phones on the market that manage to look better than the Galaxy Z Fold 4 despite being 1st or 2nd gen devices.

However, as the foldable competition on the global scene is picking up pace, it’s becoming clear that Samsung’s biggest weakness might finally start playing into the South Korean giant’s advantage. What I mean by that is that despite Samsung’s somewhat lazy attitude towards major upgrades in the Fold/Flip series, the pioneer in folding phones is a pioneer for a reason, and the experience Samsung’s picked up on the way to making the Galaxy Z Fold 5 (launching July 26) might prove invaluable!

If you think about it, it’s likely that even the embarrassing original Galaxy Fold must’ve helped Samsung learn from its mistakes in order to make and deliver the most reliable folding phone in 2023. Even if this one doesn’t end up the thinnest, lightest, sleekest foldable on offer.

Huawei and Xiaomi aside, Google and OnePlus are shaping up as Samsung’s two major competitors in 2023 thanks to the international launches of the Google Pixel Fold and OnePlus Open (this really is the name) but who said Samsung’s “slow innovation” isn’t the way to do it? It works for Apple, doesn’t it!

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Galaxy Z Fold 5, Pixel Fold, OnePlus Open - Samsung’s “reliable” but “boring” Fold 5 might win the 2023 folding phone race even if it’s not “the best” foldable

Pixel or Galaxy? What about OnePlus?

Take the newly released Google Pixel Fold… At a first glance, Google’s first foldable looks sleeker than any Galaxy Fold from the past four years but as some news stories surrounding the durability of the phone have shown, that seems to come at a cost of reliability.

For starters, the Pixel Fold didn’t survive JerryRigEverything’s exaggerated durability test due to a weak construction around the antenna lines, which proved to be a weak link, allowing the Pixel Fold to bend backwards. And on a separate (much more realistic) occasion, ArsTechnica’s Ron seems to have discovered a more concerning design flaw in the Pixel Fold’s build, related to an exposed part of the OLED screen, which can easily lead to a total breakage. As it actually did for Ron.

In a nutshell, despite Google’s great attempt at making the Pixel Fold visually appealing (at least when it's folded), you can tell the company’s first foldable is… a first-gen product. The huge bezels, the Galaxy-like crease in the middle of the inner display, and the cheap, reflective plastic screen protector (that doesn’t go all the way to the edges) further speak to Google’s lack of experience (or effort?) in the field of foldables.

That being said, the Google Pixel Fold does look better when closed compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 (considering the cover screen of the latter seems unchanged). But with foldables, it’s on the inside what matters, isn’t it? And Samsung seems to be nailing this part - apparently, the Fold 5 will be able to close shut now. Although the ugly crease in the middle of the inner screen is rumored to stay unchanged. So, Samsung isn’t exactly “nailing it”, I guess?

OnePlus is “Open” to making a better folding phone than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 but pulling that off on the first try will be… hard

Open or Fold?

Google aside, I’m extremely hopeful about OnePlus’ first attempt at a foldable as leaked renders make the OnePlus Open (again, that’s the name - no kidding) look super promising! The Honor Magic V2 is another potential Samsung beater but only as long as it launches internationally (although it most certainly won’t make it all the way to the US).

But again, my main concern here is that no matter how sleek the Pixel Fold and the OnePlus Open look, it’s going to be extremely difficult to make them as reliable as the 5th gen Galaxy Z Fold - Samsung’s already had five (or more) years to try, fail, fix, and repeat. That’s a ton of trying, failing, and repeating.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold software experience also seems more powerful and better polished than pretty much any other on the market (the Pixel Fold comes very close, I guess), and that shouldn’t be underestimated. Not in the slightest.

Even if I’m glad Google has entered the foldable market, and even if I’m truly pumped to see what OnePlus has done with the OnePlus Open, considering the Chinese company’s recent revival, I do think it’s going to be the Galaxy Z Fold 5 that will deliver the reliable folding phones most people need/want to get.

But, of course, that’s just an educated guess on my end! On top of that, I genuinely hope I’m wrong, because I do believe OnePlus can make a “perfect” folding phone from the first try. In the end, let’s not forget that OnePlus is fully backed up by the BBK group, which isn’t lacking the funds, technical expertise, and experience to make a killer folding phone like the Oppo Find N2.

By the way, what a missed opportunity to call your first foldable the “OnePlus Size”, OnePlus? What’s with the “Open” thing? That being said, I applaud the creativity! “Fold” is becoming a bit boring, isn’t it? Sort of like the Galaxy Z Fold 5? Wink, wink.

Galaxy Z Fold 5 might be the most reliable folding phone on the market but a killer OnePlus foldable could be Samsung’s wake-up call (Good luck, OnePlus!)

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is launching July 26.

In the end, folding phones are still at this stage where reliability might prove to be more pivotal to their success than “sleekness” or the “wow factor” some of them are aiming for - if that makes any sense to you. That being said, I still maintain my general belief that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 might be one to skip this year - at least if you’re looking for some exciting hardware upgrades.

I wouldn’t expect the Fold 5 to “wow” anyone, considering it looks suspiciously similar to the Fold 4, which looks identical to the Fold 3. Save for the nearly gapless hinge design, of course, which is a very welcome (but very late!) upgrade.

And yes, I still think Samsung is being painfully slow in delivering foldable hardware upgrades, which is why I wish the competition extra luck in making something that acts as the wake-up call for the lazy (but probably reliable) Galaxy Z Fold 5 and its creator.

Oh, and I still think you might want to wait for the Fold 6. According to very early rumors, this one might (finally!) switch things up in terms of design. Although… With Samsung, you never know. Let’s see…

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Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.