The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 may address one of the biggest limitations of foldable smartphones — dust resistance, or a lack thereof. The latest word from the rumor mill is that both new Samsung foldables could be dust-proof. Or in industry terms, dust resistant.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 could be the world’s first dust-resistant foldables
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 were the world’s first water-resistant foldable smartphones. The company launched the 2021 foldable duo with an IPX8 rating, which means strong protection against water. Last year’s model offered the same level of protection against water, but the Koren firm still couldn’t find out a way to prevent dust from seeping in. It did implement some measures to keep dust out but the devices lacked an official IP rating for dust resistance.
Early rumors about the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 haven’t been promising either, as far as dust resistance is concerned. Well, there have been some hints from Twitter tipster @chunvn8888 in March, but nothing substantial. The tipster said that Samsung is evaluating this possibility thanks to the gap-less design of the new foldables. It appears the Korean firm has pulled it off. The same source recently suggested that the upcoming foldable duo could boast an IP58 rating.
If true, Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be the first foldables to offer official protection against dust. Not quite the same protection as you get on most conventional flagships (IP68), but it’s still a massive upgrade. For the uninitiated, the first digit in an IP rating indicates protection against solid/dust, while the second digit indicates protection against liquid/water (a bigger number means better protection in both cases). Usually, the dust resistance level on smartphones goes up to 6 and the water resistance level up to 8.
Samsung will launch the new foldables next month
After months of rumors, Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event finally has an official date. The company announced yesterday that it will hold the big launch event on July 27 in its homeland South Korea. While the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be the center of attraction at the event, the tech behemoth also has other products in the pipeline. The Galaxy Watch 6 series and Galaxy Tab S9 series are expected to debut on the same day. Watch out for more leaks and rumors about these devices in the coming weeks.