Samsung has unveiled its next-generation foldable phones. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 offer fairly modest refinements and only a few new features over their predecessors, but these may be enough to make the idea of a foldable phone more feasible to the many who still aren’t convinced.
First up is the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the more “classic smartphone” approach to the foldable. The Flip line harkens back to the simpler times of snapping your mobile shut for pocketable convenience, before the days of bulkier smartphones. The Z Flip 4’s improvements over the Flip 3 are mostly to do with the cameras and outer cover screen, with the overall design and main folding display retaining last year’s specs. The more capable camera should perform better in low light conditions, and the cover screen that sits next to the dual lens module will now let you respond to messages and offer greater customisation.
The Flip 4 features a tiny 1.9-inch Super AMOLED cover display for notifications, checking calendars and weather, and other quick operations. The main display is a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED running at 2640 x 1080 resolution, capable of dynamic refresh rates up to 120Hz.
It comes in four finishes – Black, Pink Gold, Bora Purple and Blue – as well as three storage configurations: 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. It will run on a Snapdragon 8+ GEN 1 processor backed by 8GB of RAM. It will also feature IPX8 water resistance and a 3700mAh battery with the potential to charge at 35W, according to Samsung, although you’ll need to buy the power adapter separately. The 128GB model will retail for £999 / $999 / around AU$1730.
The Fold 4 continues the existing line’s take on the phone/tablet hybrid with some welcome upgrades over the Fold 3. This includes thinner bezels on the main display, a less noticeable under-display selfie camera, a slimmer hinge mechanism, and a tougher Gorilla Glass Victus display that should improve durability while remaining flexible enough to fold. It also retains S-Pen support from the previous generation, although this is still an optional extra. It also will receive an overhauled UI, with a desktop style taskbar for improved productivity performance and easier access to the split-screen multi-window app mode.
When it comes to screens, the Fold 4 has two of them. There’s a 6.2-inch dynamic AMOLED outer display that can be used with the device folded, running at 2316 x 904 resolution and variable refresh rate up to 120Hz. The main feature is the foldable 7.6-inch display on the inside of the device, running at 2176 x 1812 resolution. It is also a dynamic AMOLED display, capable of 120Hz refresh rate.
Samsung’s new foldable flagship comes in three hues, Phantom Black, Beige and Grey-Green, as well as 256GB, 512GB and 1TB storage opens. It too will be powered by the Snapdragon 8+ GEN 1, but bumps up to 12GB of RAM, making it a tempting choice for those looking for a portable productivity machine. It features IPX8 water resistance like its smaller sibling, but upgrades the battery to 4400mAh. The 256GB model starts at £1649 / $1799 / around AU$2850.
Both the Flip 4 and Fold 4 will receive upgraded camera modules, with enhanced night photography (or 'Nightography' as Samsung is dubbing it), as well as improved zoom functionality.
MORE:
Check out our initial hands on review of the Galaxy Fold 4
Read our Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review
Check out our roundup of the best Android smartphones