South Korea-based technology major Samsung on Wednesday (August 10) pulled the wraps off the new line Galaxy Z Fold4, Galaxy Z Flip4 along with the Galaxy Buds2 Pro and Galaxy Watch5 series.
I spent a brief time with the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Z Flip4 at the demo zone soon after the announcement at Samsung Opera House (Bengaluru), which is by the way the company's world's biggest consumer electronics experience centre.
Here are my initial thoughts about the two new premium Samsung smartphones.
Design, build quality and display
Both the new generation models have undergone refinement both in terms of design and also internal hardware.
Both the Galaxy Z Flip4 and Z Fold4 feature premium armour aluminium rails and the hinge too, despite being slimmer compared to the predecessor, is said to be sturdier.
On the back, the devices are protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus+ shield. The cover display of the Galaxy Z Fold4 too has this.
Also, the company has incorporated the new generation of ultra-thin foldable glass inside both the premium phones and is said to be more durable than ever before.
Samsung told that both the handsets have been tested for more 200,000 fold operations and are certified by Bureau Veritas.
And they come with an IPX8 rating, meaning the device may sustain underwater for up to 1.5 metres (approx. 5 feet) for close to 30 minutes, but they can's hold up against dust creeping in between the hinges.
The noticeable change we have seen in the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Z Flip4 is that they are a little flat around the edges and also the bezels too, look trimmed compared to the 2021 series models.
The Galaxy Z Fold4 sports a 7.6-inch QXGA+ (2176 x 1812p) Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display with a 21.6:18 aspect ratio and support peak brightness of 1,300 nits and an adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rate.
On the front, it features a smaller 6.2-inch HD+ (2316 x 904p) Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display with 23.1:9 aspect ratio. It also supports variable display refresh rate ranging between 48Hz-120Hz.
When held in the hand, the device exudes premium hand feel and FYI, the new phone is 10g lighter than the predecessor. The Galaxy Z Fold4 comes in four colours--graygreen, phantom black, beige and burgundy.
On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Flip4 features a 1.9-inch Super AMOLED Display on the front with 260 x 512p resolution. It is sensitive to touch gestures and responds fast.
Inside, it sports a 6.7-inch full HD+(2640 x 1080p) Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display, peak brightness of 900 nits and supports adaptive refresh rate (1-120Hz). Due to the foldable design form factor, the screen is unconventionally taller, but it is very comfortable for the fingers to wrap around the phone. The display aspect ratio of the Galaxy Z Flip4 is 22:9, compared to the 16:9 - 20:9 we see in normal phones. To improve the ease of use, Samsung offers shortcuts to the most used apps on the side.
Samsung offers Galaxy Z Flip4 in dual-tone colour schemes. It comes in bora purple, graphite, pink gold, and blue with a black module around the camera and frames come in matching silver, black, and gold finishes.
Yes, the crease on display panel in the middle is visible on both devices, but only when viewed from a certain angle.
Photography hardware
Galaxy Z Fold4
It comes with a total of five cameras-- primary triple sensors on the back-- 12MP Ultra Wide Camera (f/2.2, Pixel size: 1.12μm, FOV: 123-degree) + 50MP Wide-angle Camera (Dual Pixel AF, OIS, F1.8, Pixel size: 1.0μm, FOV: 85-degree) + 10MP Telephoto Camera (PDAF, F2.4, OIS, Pixel size: 1.0μm, FOV: 36-degree) with 3X optical zoom and support 30X Space Zoom.
The biggest improvement we can expect from the new camera is Nightography first seen in S22 Ultra and promises a 23 per cent enhanced low-light photography experience. Also, the 50MP wide-angle sensor is a big upgrade over the 12MP sensor seen in the Galaxy Z Fold3 series.
Inside the foldable wide-screen, the company has incorporated a hidden selfie camera, which can be seen only from a certain angle. Most people will not able to instantly recognise there is a camera and Samsung has done a good job. However, the camera's photo-taking capability needs to be assessed. So, stay tuned for the full review later this month.
On the cover display, the Galaxy Z Fold4 houses another 10MP selfie camera (f/2.2, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 85-degree).
Galaxy Z Flip4
The new premium phone features a dual-camera-- primary 12MP Ultra Wide camera (f/2.2, Pixel size: 1.12μm, FOV: 123-degree) + 12MP Wide-angle camera (Dual Pixel AF, OIS, f/1.8, Pixel size: 1.8μm, FOV: 83-degree) with LED flash on the back.
Inside, the phone sports a 10MP selfie camera (f/2.4, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 80-degree).
On paper, it is a moderate upgrade over the Flip3 series. But, it comes with more capabilities in terms of Flex mode camera mode will help users set up hands-free video chatting. Flex mode is supported at angles between 75-degree and 115-degree.
That's not all; Meta has announced that it plans to enable apps-- WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram-- to support hand-free videos. Users will be able to create Stories and Reels without the need for a stand or a tripod. And, bring hands-free video calling on Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. Google apps such as Duo, Meet, YouTube and others too support Flex mode and split screen features.
Processor configuration
Both the phones come with a 4nm class Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor. However, the Galaxy Z Fold4 will run a special Android 12L-based One UI designed to make the apps and user-interface to suit the wide foldable display. In addition to Flex mode, there will be a taskbar, shortcuts and more to offer multi-tasking capabilities to make the device more productive. Also, the screen both in terms of hardware and software is optimised to support the S Pen stylus. I did test the stylus to write on the notes app of the Galaxy Z Fold4 and the screen was very sensitive and responsive to the touch. There are effects to mimic the pencil writing sound to make it sound a more authentic note-taking exercise.
However, on the Flip4, Samsung has incorporated standard Android 12-based OneUI. Except for the Flex mode for the native camera app and select supported apps, the user interface remains as we see on other premium Galaxy S series phones.
As far as the battery is concerned, the Galaxy Z Fold4 comes with 4,400mAh (dual-battery cells) and the Galaxy Z Flip4 houses 3,700mah battery. Enough to deliver a full day of battery life under normal usage. They both support a 25W adapter, Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 and wireless power share. They can attain 50 per cent battery capacity with just 30 minutes of charging.
The Galaxy Z Fold4 will be available in three RAM+storage configurations-- 12GB RAM + 1TB storage, 12GB RAM + 512GB storage and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage-- with prices starting at $1,799 in global markets.
Samsung offers the Galaxy Z Flip4 in three RAM+storage configurations-- 8GB RAM + 512GB storage, 8GB RAM + 256GB storage and 8GB RAM + 128GB storage-- with prices starting at $999 in global markets.
In India, Samsung is expected to bring the Galaxy Z Flip4 and the Z Fold4 a little later in the month.
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