It's a folding phone frenzy! New pics show Pixel Fold, Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5

It seems that the best folding phones are like buses: you wait ages and then three come at once. How else to explain this weekend's flurry of renders showing not just the Google Pixel Fold (above) but also the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 too?

The Samsungs are the successors to the impressive Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4, while the Google Pixel Fold is the firm's first folding phone. All of them are likely to top our guide to the best folding phones when they launch, and their launches are expected fairly soon: the Samsungs are reportedly undergoing final testing while the Pixel Fold is expected to be revealed at Google I/O this month.

No alarms and no surprises

These renders, via The Verge (Pixel Fold) and SamMobile (Samsungs) don't contain any huge surprises: they're based on multiple reports and leaks that have already been around for a while, so they're really just more refined versions of what we already expected. But they're still interesting: while the Galaxy Fold isn't expected to get a significant redesign until next year's version 6, it does seem to have a redesigned hinge. The Flip is quite different, though, and the new renders show its larger front screen in all its glory.

As for the Pixel Fold, there isn't much left to leak – which isn't surprising given that the expected launch is next week, and the image shared by Evan Blass via The Verge looks like a press render from Google itself. It's sleeker looking than previous renders, but it's hard to see quite how it compares to Samsung's designs. We'll need to get our hands on the finished ones to make that judgement.

I'm looking forward to seeing all three of these phones in the metal; I love folding phones, and for as long as Apple stays clear of folding iPhones I'll have to live vicariously through my Android pals. I'm particularly impressed by Samsung here: the first Fold was a bit of a joke, but now the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is one of the best phones you can buy – and one of the most desirable ones too. I'm looking forward to seeing the next generation.