The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 are now available for pre-order and will be able to be shipped at the end of the month. Samsung released the first iteration of the Fold in Sept. 2019 and the Flip in Feb. 2020 to a mixed reception. While they were praised for their innovation, they had issues with durability. However, each generation has improved durability, and users hope that trend will continue.
While Samsung remains the leader in the U.S. for foldable phones, many other companies are coming out with their own versions. The tech giant has more competition in the global market than it does in the U.S, including Huawei's Mate Xs and P50 Pocket and Xiaomi's Mi Mix Fold. In the U.S., Motorola will also release its third generation of the Razr this year, though it's not expected to beat Samsung's foldables.
Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy Flip 4 and Fold 4. Both will go on sale on Aug. 26 and will start at $999 and $1,799, respectively. The Flip 4 was rumored to be priced higher with the upgrades, but luckily that wasn't the case. The phone can be purchased in Bora Purple, Graphite, Pink Gold and Blue. In addition, users can choose between Gray, Green, Beige and Phantom Black colors for the Fold 4. Both phones can be pre-ordered on the Samsung website.
Galaxy Z Flip 4 & Z Fold 4 Design Mostly Unchanged
There weren't too many design upgrades for the Galaxy Flip 4. The design looks almost identical to its predecessor. The fingerprint scanner is still on the side, the ports and microphone are still on the bottom and the volume button is on the right side. The main display remained at 6.7 inches. It was rumored that the cover display could be a little larger, but it's still 1.9-inches. The biggest change from the Flip 3 is the Flip 4 is slightly lighter and thinner, with a slimmer hinge. It also has thinner bezels.
While there were no significant design changes to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Samsung said it is 45 percent more durable than its predecessor. It's also lighter and sleeker. Although earlier rumors suggested the screen would be a squarish shape, the screen is the same size as the Fold 3. There is also no change to the camera module, unlike previously suggested.
Camera Upgrades For Galaxy Z Fold 4
Almost all the Galaxy Z Fold 4 cameras saw improvements. The wide-angle camera has an upgrade of 50 megapixels over the previous 12. In addition, the phone has a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with three times optical zoom. Unfortunately, the selfie camera is still 10 megapixels instead of the 16 that was rumored.
While the Flip 4 was rumored to get better cameras, it is the same as its predecessor. It has a 12-megapixel wide and ultra-wide camera, and the selfie camera is once again 10 megapixels.
Galaxy Z Flip 4 & Z Fold 4 Get A More Powerful Chip
Both smartphones are getting a serious upgrade under the hood. Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 powers the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Fold 4. This is produced using TSMC's 4-nanometer process, so the phones will have better efficiency and performance and run cooler. However, the external display technology will be the same as its predecessors. The Flip 4 has a 1.9-inch sAMOLED, and the Fold 4 has a 6.2-inch HD+ both with 120Hz refresh rates. Inside, the Flip 4 will have a 6.7-inch FHD+ 120 Hz sAMOLED screen, and the Fold 4 will get a 7.6-inch QXGA+ 120Hz AMOLED. The Flip's RAM remained the same at 8GB but got an upgrade to 512 GB of storage. Users can purchase the Fold with 12GB RAM and choose 512GB, 256GB or 1TB internal storage. The Flip 4 comes with Android 12 out-of-the-box and One UI 4. The Fold 4 comes with Android 12L and One UI 4.1.1. This will make for a better multitasking experience for users. In addition, the smartphones have improved water resistance, and while the Galaxy Fold 4 doesn't come with an S pen, it has support for one.
Galaxy Z Flip 4 Battery Upgrade
The Galaxy Z Flip 4's battery capacity increased from 3,300 mAh to 3,700mAh, whereas the Galaxy Fold 4 has a 4,400mAh battery, the same as its predecessor. In addition, the Flip 4 now has super-fast charging, with the phone charging 50 percent in about 30 minutes when charged with a 25 W adapter. It also supports fast wireless charging. Battery capacity and speed are the same for the Fold.
Might Be Worth Waiting For The Next Generation
Most of the changes are pretty minor. It won't be until users get their hands on the phone that they will be able to see if the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 will improve the performance. Thankfully, the durability of the Fold has improved. That will make a difference. Another plus for the Fold 4 is the S pen support, even if it is disappointing that it is not coming with one. The extra battery capacity for the Flip 4 is always a welcome upgrade, and the camera upgrades on the Fold 4 will make a difference for users. However, the upgrades are probably not enough to justify upgrading from the predecessors. If a user is switching phones, that will depend on the capabilities of their current one. The Fold 4 may be worth upgrading to because of the improved durability, but other than that, it might be worth waiting until the Samsung Galaxy Flip and Fold 5. Of course, that's assuming that they will get better upgrades.
Source: Samsung