John Paul M. Joaquin Tech 01.16.2023 03:Jan AM EST

Samsung May Have Solved the Galaxy Z Fold's Crease Problem

Samsung's next foldable phone will no longer have a crease as noticeable as it is now.

The popular tech giant will reportedly use a new hinge style as part of a potential design change meant to make the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5's crease less obvious than its predecessor's.

Samsung has been improving its foldable screen for its Galaxy Z Fold phone line-up, with the Galaxy Z Fold 4 having less of a noticeable crease than the Galaxy Z Fold 3, which the company released in 2021, per ZDNet.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Hinge Style Change Details

Samsung is reportedly planning on using a "waterdrop" type display structure for the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5, according to the Korean site Naver. This hinge style allows the phone's display to roll inside the main body in a waterdrop shape to form a gentler curve that leaves less of a crease.

The new hinge style will let the phone's display fold completely flat when being closed, with no gap between the phone's two halves, per SamMobile.

Additionally, the new waterdrop style hinge is expected to improve the Galaxy Z Fold 5's display considerably, preventing creases from being created in the first place.

Interestingly, Samsung may have had this design since it had the design patented in 2016, with it being known as "dumbbell" instead of "waterdrop." Although the tech giant didn't mention why it never released the design until now, it is probable that its lack of an IPX8 waterproof rating prevented it from using the design from the start.

Speaking of the IPX8 waterproof rating, the waterdrop hinge style now comes with it, allowing the phone to be continuously submerged in water levels deeper than one meter, per Audio Reputation.

The Verge mentioned that the tech giant only applied to receive the IPX8 waterproof rating for its third-gen folding devices in 2021, which helped its foldable phones stand out from its competition in the form of Oppo's Find N2 and the Motorola Razr, both of which lacks water resistance despite them initially featuring the waterdrop-style hinge.

However, what the Galaxy Z Fold 5 only lacks now is a dust resistance rating, which means that the phone is vulnerable to dust or other fine particles like sand, according to Reactual.

Samsung's Woes With Foldable Phone Creases And Cracks

Samsung's thirst to improve its foldable screens is understandable given the many issues customers had with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 4, which it released in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

According to a previous report from The Verge, users reported several issues ranging from cracked screens, which one Reddit user, unfortunately, experienced with their Galaxy Z Fold 4, to noticeable creases with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 that eventually broke the phone due to the creases it created when being closed, per 9to5Google.

With the new waterdrop style hinge possibly on the way to being installed on the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5, Samsung customers will have fewer things to worry about.