Alleged Galaxy Fold 2 unit shows up on Weibo, looks like 2019 Motorola Razr

Earlier this year, Samsung became the first major smartphone company to release a foldable device, the Galaxy Fold, in the premium segment. There was a significant amount of initial intrigue. However, QA problems with the first batch of the Fold quickly turned the launch into a PR disaster. After months of reworking the Fold design, Samsung finally relaunched the product, albeit to a lukewarm response.

Now, a recent leak on Weibo, spotted by tipster Ice Universe, indicates that Samsung is rethinking the Fold's design. The alleged Galaxy Fold 2 is a much smaller clamshell device, strongly reminiscent of the 2019 Motorola Razr. Again, we have no official confirmation that this is the Galaxy Fold 2 and Samsung hasn't even announced a successor to the Fold.

Still, the device does have a characteristic Samsung Infinity-O cutout and appears to be running One UI. It's worth analyzing what the Korean manufacturer appears to be doing here: For starters, as mentioned, this is a much smaller device than the Galaxy Fold. It is possible that the weight of a large 7-in fold-out display may have contributed to the Fold's reliability issues. A lightweight clamshell design places less strain on the crease.

We also noticed that the device sports a dual-camera setup on the rear and a single front selfie camera. This is a clear step back from the triple-camera setup on the original Fold.

The combination of a smaller foldable screen and a less ambitious camera design may be to cut down on the bill of materials. The Galaxy Fold was expensive to manufacture.This reflected in its $1980 sticker price. A "cheaper" Fold 2 in the $1000 range could go head-to-head with the iPhone and Android flagships, while offering a portable alternative to Galaxy S and Note series buyers.