Samsung is planning to share internally the first mold version of the waterdrop hinge it has designed to apply on its upcoming foldable smartphones, TheElec has learned.
The mold version will be shared internally this week and is the last step before verification, sources said.
After the verification, the hinge will receive production readiness approval and shipment readiness approval by the end of next month or early July, they added.
Shipment readiness approval is a formality and Samsung will likely start producing the hinge in small volumes next month, they also said.
Waterdrop hinge is a new concept of the hinge being prepared by the tech giant for its new foldable smartphones.
The waterdrop hinge has the part of the hinge that is folded to take a shape like a waterdrop instead of a "U" like previously.
This looser and thinner form of hinge allows the screen to be completely folded while lessening the crease that happens from this.
Samsung is also planning a harsher durability test for its new waterdrop hinge, the sources said.
Similar hinges introduced by Motorola and Chinese companies showed that either the concept caused durability to fall or caused the hinge to be too thick.
Waterdrop hinges used by Chinese companies in their foldable are supplied by US company Amphenol. Meanwhile, Samsung designed its own waterdrop hinge.
Samsung has already started production of some of the components it uses in its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 smartphones. This is because it is launching them two weeks earlier than previously planned due to orders from the leadership to improve its earnings from the mobile business.
