According to a new patent, Samsung's Galaxy Fold Lite will be waterproof and may feature an entirely new front design.

The "electronic device including a waterproof construction" patent was found in the WIPO database by LetsGoDigital. This design could be that of the Galaxy Fold 2, but there are signals in the illustration that it is a different, less expensive device than what we have already seen.

Dust and water resistance are costly to implement, but are important features for many premium smartphone users who want to know that their expensive smartphone is durable enough to withstand normal use and common accidents. Adding this level of protection to a folding smartphone is a tall order, but Samsung's patent suggests that it can be done by adding a new waterproof section around the hinge.

The patent's illustration also reveals a new type of external display: instead of the regular but shrunken display of the 2019 Galaxy Fold or the small notification window of the Galaxy Z Flip, this combines the two with an elongated window. Previous patents have shown how opening the phone takes you straight to the app from which you received the notification.

Also of note in this drawing are the three rear cameras and two internal cameras. The internal cameras are in a notch similar to the one on the original Galaxy Fold, which unfortunately takes up a significant portion of the internal display. One of the rear cameras has a square lens design like a periscope telephoto camera, suggesting an improvement over the 2x zoom lens on the Galaxy Fold while the Fold Lite has a standard main/ultra-wide/zoom combination camera.

The Galaxy Fold Lite, along with the Galaxy Fold 2 and Galaxy Note 20, is expected to make its first appearance at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event in August. No date has been set yet, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, this will likely be an online-only show.