Early Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 9 leaks suggest the company could bring back features it dropped to make its foldables thinner. The rumoured upgrades include S Pen support, an under-display selfie camera and a possible IP68 rating. Apple's first foldable, the iPhone Duo, goes on sale on October 23 with all three.
That makes the Fold 9 an interesting prospect. Samsung could be looking to restore features that have become selling points for its rival, even as it continues to slim down its phones.
The rumours have surfaced less than three months after the Galaxy Z Fold 8 went on sale. However, they vary considerably in reliability. Some come from established technology publications citing industry sources; others trace back to a single tipster or roundups that name no original source.
Here's a closer look at what the evidence actually supports, which claims deserve caution and what Samsung may be trying to bring back.
Nothing is confirmed. Samsung has not announced the Galaxy Z Fold 9. Based on previous launches, an unveiling at a July or August 2027 Galaxy Unpacked event looks plausible. Every numbered Fold since 2021 has launched during that period, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 went on sale on August 7, 2026.
Galaxy Z Fold 9 rumours: What we know so far
Early reports point to several possible changes for Samsung’s next foldable, but Samsung has confirmed neither the devices nor their specifications.
At least two Fold models for 2027: Galaxy Club (via 9to5Google) and ETNews report that Samsung is developing the Galaxy Z Fold 9 and Fold 9 Ultra.
Five foldables in the pipeline: Galaxy Club and ETNews both report that Samsung is preparing five foldables for 2027. ETNews, citing industry sources, says the lineup includes a second wide-format Fold alongside the Fold 9, Fold 9 Ultra, Flip 9 and TriFold 2.
New device codenames: Galaxy Club believes H9 is the Fold 9 and tentatively links Q9A to the Fold 9 Ultra. H9 follows “H8”, the wide Fold 8’s codename, which Android Authority found in Samsung’s software. Q9B appears to be the TriFold 2. A fifth device, codenamed Z9, doesn’t fit Samsung’s usual naming and remains unexplained.
A new processor: The Fold 9 could use Qualcomm’s next 2nm Snapdragon flagship, reportedly the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6. German site netzwelt calls it the Gen 6 Pro.
A thinner design: Tipster @kro_roe has described an early concept measuring 7.9mm folded and 3.9mm unfolded. The Fold 8 measures 9.7mm and 4.5mm. These dimensions have not been confirmed.
An under-display selfie camera: The same tipster suggests Samsung may be considering a return to the hidden inner camera, which it dropped with the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Faster charging: An early rumour reported by SammyGuru suggests the Fold 9 could support 60W wired charging, up from 45W on the Fold 8. No certification has surfaced to support the claim so far.
A bigger battery and screen: Netzwelt reports a possible 5,000mAh battery, compared with 4,800mAh on the Fold 8, alongside an inner screen measuring around 8 inches. These figures match the Fold 8 Ultra's reported specifications, but it is not clear which Fold 9 model the report refers to.
The S Pen could return: Netzwelt has reported the possibility of S Pen support returning, although similar speculation ahead of the Fold 8 launch did not materialise. Samsung has previously indicated that a return has not been ruled out.
IP68 water and dust resistance: This specification has appeared in online roundups, but an original source for the claim remains unclear.
What Samsung removed, and what Apple is shipping
Samsung dropped S Pen support with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 in 2025 to make the phone thinner. In the same generation, it replaced the under-display selfie camera with a visible hole-punch. The Fold 8 series kept both changes. Apple’s first foldable, the iPhone Duo, ships with both features, plus an IP68 rating. As iDevice put it, the Duo arrives with the very things Samsung removed.
Here’s how the two lineups compare:
Stylus support: The Fold 6 supported the S Pen. Samsung dropped it from the main Fold line with the Fold 7, after the Korea- and China-only Fold Special Edition went without it in late 2024. Neither the Fold 8 nor the Fold 8 Ultra supports it. The iPhone Duo supports Apple Pencil on both screens. An S Pen return on the Fold 9 is rumoured but unconfirmed.
Inner selfie camera: The Fold 6 had an under-display camera, while the Fold 7 and Fold 8 use a visible hole-punch. The iPhone Duo uses an under-display camera, and early Fold 9 rumors suggest Samsung could bring it back.
Flex Mode: The Fold 6 and Fold 7 could stay propped open at different angles. The wide-format Fold 8 cannot, although the Fold 8 Ultra can, and so can the iPhone Duo.
Water and dust resistance: The Fold 6, Fold 7 and Fold 8 are all rated IP48. The iPhone Duo is rated IP68. Claims that the Fold 9 will match it have not been traced to an original source.
Wired charging: Samsung went from 25W on the Fold 6 and Fold 7 to 45W on the Fold 8. The iPhone Duo supports up to 60W, according to SammyGuru, and an early Fold 9 rumor suggests Samsung could match it.
The iPhone Duo has its own trade-offs. At 254g and 11.3mm when folded, it is heavier and thicker than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which weighs 201g and measures 9.7mm when folded.
The comparison raises an interesting question for Samsung. As the foldable market matures, will the company continue prioritising thinner designs, or will it find ways to restore features some users valued?
Flex Mode is another area to watch. Unlike the Fold 8 Ultra and earlier models, the wide-format Fold 8 cannot remain propped open at different angles. No Galaxy Z Fold 9 leak has addressed this so far, although Forbes' Jay McGregor has identified it as one of the improvements he would like to see in the next wide model.
What to expect from the Galaxy Z Fold 9
The Galaxy Z Fold 9 rumours point to a familiar challenge for Samsung: making its foldables thinner without losing the features that made them useful. The reported return of the S Pen and under-display selfie camera would address two omissions, while faster charging and a larger battery could bring further improvements.
Apple's iPhone Duo adds another dimension to that discussion, arriving with features Samsung removed from its own foldables. But competitive pressure does not guarantee that Samsung will restore them, particularly if doing so means compromising on thickness or other design priorities.
For now, the clearest reports concern Samsung's plans to expand its foldable lineup in 2027. The finer hardware details remain unconfirmed, and there is no reliable pricing information yet.
Samsung's next move should become clearer as more reports emerge and certification listings begin to surface. Until then, the Galaxy Z Fold 9 is worth watching, but its rumoured features are not a reason to delay a phone purchase on their own.