Samsung may have recently announced the Galaxy S21, but the company has other phones planned this year, including a foldable device. We've heard a bit about the Galaxy Z Fold 3, but what about the upcoming version of its clamshell sibling, the Galaxy Z Flip? It turns out that rumors of its folding version are also swirling.

It's been about a year since the first Galaxy Z Flip, but Samsung may hold onto its successor a little longer. The first clamshell foldable was a bit nostalgic, harkening back to the days of flip phones.

Not much is known about the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip at this time, but that will likely change as the phone gets closer to launch. Below is what we currently know about the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

Initial rumors indicated that Samsung would release a new Foldable in May, and we assumed it would be the successor to the Fold and Flip lines. However, more recent leaks point to the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 being released in July. This is further supported by another leak from SamMobile, which states that both new foldables will appear in late 2021.

If it launches in May, it could be a completely new foldable, possibly a Lite version of Samsung's current model. We do know that the company plans to release what it calls a "more accessible" folderable this year. In other words, anything is possible at this point.

For reference, the original Galaxy Z Flip was announced a year before Samsung announced its Galaxy S20 lineup.

At this time, nothing is known about the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 3. However, there is a previous model. The first Galaxy Z Flip was $1,380 in the US / £1,300 in the UK. Later, a 5G version was released for $1,449, but Samsung reduced the price of that version by $250 to $1,199.

In other words, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is expected to launch at about the price Samsung charged for the original.

Since there is only one Galaxy Z Flip, one would think its successor would be called the Flip 2. However, Samsung does not always work that way. Sometimes carriers omit the number altogether. They also prefer to maintain uniformity, for example, by using the same number for the Galaxy S and Note.

Another foldable in Samsung's portfolio, the Galaxy Z Fold, will be announced for the third time this year. Following the company's habit of juxtaposing the naming of similar mobile products, Samsung is expected to name its next clamshell the Galaxy Z Flip 3. One could also argue that the Galaxy Z Flip 5G is the second version and that the 2021 model will be the Z Flip 3.

Other rumors, such as a report from the Dutch site GalaxyClub, confirm this. Samsung likes to confuse things, like the name Galaxy S21 (as opposed to Galaxy S30), so we don't think this rumor is that far off. Until we hear rumors to the contrary, we're going to call this upcoming phone the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

We don't know much about the design of the Galaxy Z Flip 3, but it's safe to assume that this phone will again be a clamshell fold. That means the hinge is on the horizontal X-axis as opposed to the vertical Y-axis of the fold. This obviously takes us back to the days of the flip phone, and there is a lot of nostalgia there.

Not long ago, however, a design mockup of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 appeared on the Korean site Meeco, showing the phone folded closed with a camera module that looks exactly like the one in the Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus. On the outside, there is also a small screen for telling the time and reading important notifications. It appears larger than the one on the original Galaxy Z Flip.

We have seen mockups of the phone unfold from the likes of LetsGoDigital, but we have yet to receive further proof that they are accurate. For now, we will have to wait for official renders and hands-on videos to leak in the coming months as the launch approaches.

Rumors about the full specs of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 have yet to surface. However, we have heard that it will have a larger battery this time around, although the exact capacity has not been specified.

In September, a Twitter leaker named @chunvn8888 said that the Galaxy Z Flip 3 will have a larger outer screen, a larger battery, an upgraded hinge, and Ultra Thin Glass (UTG)-perhaps the original Galaxy Z Flip - possibly an improved UTG from the original Galaxy Z Flip - with 100% certainty. While it remains to be seen how reliable this person is, these changes to the Galaxy Z Flip 3 make sense.

According to SamMobile, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 could be available in 128GB and 256GB storage options. The site also states that the new clamshell foldable will feature One UI 3.5, a new version of Samsung's Android skin. For reference, One UI 3.1 debuted on the Galaxy S21.

Nothing else is known at this time, but we expect the Galaxy Z Flip 3 to feature high-end specs to match its likely high price.

With any new product, there are certain things we would like to see fixed from the previous generation. The original Galaxy Z Flip was a cool concept, but it needs to be improved in several ways. For the Galaxy Z Flip 3, we would like to see the following improvements.

Improved battery life: This was a major issue with the original Galaxy Z Flip; the 3,300mAh battery was not enough to run for long periods of time. While it did much better than the Motorola Razr in battery tests, its 8 hours and 16 minutes was below the smartphone average. We expect the Galaxy Z Flip 3's battery to improve its runtime once it is larger.

More affordable: We hope the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is more affordable, although rumors suggest there may be a Galaxy Z Flip Lite or something similar. The concept is cool and this technology is expensive, but what does the Galaxy Z Flip 3 offer compared to the $1,199 Galaxy S21 Ultra? That is a question Samsung will have to ask itself.

Improved durability: The original Galaxy Z Flip was durable enough for a folding phone, but the Galaxy Z Flip 3 should be more durable. The use of Ultra Thin Glass in the display helps a lot, but we hope Samsung will make the new clamshell foldable feel more rugged. After all, if I'm going to shell out over $1,000 for a phone, I expect it to be able to withstand accidental drops and scrapes. Besides, it's nice if the dirt doesn't show on the outside.

Better app support for Flex mode: As with any new technology, there is an adoption period between introduction and mainstream acceptance. A larger display spread is cool, but if apps don't support it, why would they want to use the feature? And if that feature is the rationale for purchasing the device in the first place, you run into a problem. That said, there are a few apps that support the Galaxy Z Flip's multi-panel, and hopefully more will be available by the time the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is released.