A number of new design renderings that hint at what Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 will look like when it launches next year may signal a serious evolution of foldable phones

Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Galaxy Z Flip have only one foldable component However, these renderings created and published by Pigtou and xleaks indicate that the next-generation Galaxy Z Fold may feature a dual-hinge design, effectively giving it more folding possibilities

We reported earlier this month on a patent filed by Samsung for a multi-foldable device, which is the source of the Pigtou renderings Both concepts feature multiple hinges to allow for larger displays and further versatility, but they do so in two different ways

The first consists of a large central display and two smaller displays connected on either side, one of which is double-sided It can be used fully open or closed like the existing Galaxy Z Fold, but it can also be partially open This makes it suitable for one-handed use or for accessing a single quad-camera array in selfie mode with a large viewfinder

Pigtou's design has been licensed from several patent illustrations For example, it adds a punch-hole selfie camera to the front cover, similar to the one on the current Galaxy Z Fold In addition, speakers are built into the phone's two outer leaves, allowing for a premium stereo experience

The second design is an actual Z-shaped fold with three equal-sized parts It has one large internal display and a smaller external display, like the Galaxy Z Fold 2 However, the hinges open in different directions and the display wraps around one of the hinges, effectively allowing the phone to be used in four different sizes This is great, but it does mean that the phone becomes very thick to accommodate three displays

On the back, the Z-shaped concept uses the same camera array as the first design, with a punch-hole display for the front display; Pigtou also used one-third of the Z-shaped phone as a keyboard and the first design as a It seems to imagine these concepts using a "Flex Mode" similar to the Galaxy Z Flip, as it suggests using it in a "tent" mode like a convertible laptop This mode would allow the phone's hinge to stay open rather than simply open and close

A sequel to both of Samsung's current foldables, presumably called the Galaxy Z Flip 2 and Galaxy Z Fold 3, will appear in 2021 The original Galaxy Z Flip debuted with the Galaxy S20 in February

However, the lack of leaks and other rumors combined lead us to believe that the Galaxy Z Flip 2 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 will debut together in fall 2021 It will take time to wait, but at least Samsung's Galaxy S21 is coming in January