Tag: smartphones
Hands-On With Samsung’s Latest Foldable Smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip
Samsung’s early foldable devices were riddled with durability issues and hinge-related problems, but Samsung has now had several years to work out the kinks. New hinge designs and body refinements have taken care of a lot of these issues, and the fourth-generation devices look and feel more durable.
The Z Fold 4 is the bigger of Samsung’s two foldable smartphones, and it folds like a book, going from a 6.2-inch display to a 7.6-inch display. The Z Flip 4 is a smaller foldable that folds vertically, top over bottom, and it has a 6.7-inch display when opened up. When closed, there’s a 1.9-inch display where you can see notifications, the time, and other at-a-glance info.
Both of Samsung’s foldable devices feature 120Hz OLED displays that look fantastic, and the Z Fold 4 runs a special version of Android built for foldable devices. Android L adds a dock that makes it easy to swap between apps, and there are useful multitasking capabilities.
Beyond the novelty of the folding, these two devices have your general high-end smartphone features. Multi-lens cameras, high-capacity batteries that outlast the iPhone battery, the latest Qualcomm chips, under display cameras, fingerprint sensors, 5G connectivity, and more. Make sure to watch our video up above to see the folding mechanism in action and to get a look at the rest of the feature set.
We’ve been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone since 2016 when LG Display started producing foldable displays for smartphones, but so far, there have been no tangible rumors about an iPhone that folds as such a device remains in the prototyping stage.
Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said back in January 2021 that Apple’s work on an iPhone with a foldable display was in the early stages, and that the company had not yet committed to releasing a foldable device. Other rumors have indicated that Apple is testing 8-inch and 9-inch foldable options, but we’re still years off from a release.
Both display analyst Ross Young and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believe Apple has some kind of foldable iPhone in development with a launch planned for 2025 at the earliest. Apple often holds off on implementing new technology until the available hardware can meet the quality specifications that the Cupertino company demands, so it is no surprise to see Apple waiting for several years after the launch of foldable Android smartphones to launch its own.
This article, “Hands-On With Samsung’s Latest Foldable Smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Samsung Launches New Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 Smartphones
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 features a 120Hz 6.7-inch AMOLED display and it folds out vertically. When closed, there is a 1.9-inch AMOLED display for showing the time, notifications, and other at-a-glance information. There’s a fingerprint sensor at the side for biometric authentication, and compared to the prior-generation model, the Z Flip 4 offers a more slimmed down hinge, straighter edges, and a glossy metal frae with a hazed back glass.
The Z Flip 4 features a dual rear camera setup with 12-megapixel wide-angle and ultra wide-angle cameras, along with a 10-megapixel front-facing selfie camera. A built-in “FlexCam” feature allows for hands-free video, group selfies, and more when the Z Flip 4 is partially folded, and selfies can be taken from the cover screen.
The Galaxy Z Fold has a 120Hz 7.6-inch AMOLED display that opens out like a book, and when closed, it has a 6.2-inch AMOLED display. There’s a triple-lens camera setup that includes a 50-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 12-megapixel ultra wide camera, and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera that supports 30x Space Zoom, plus there’s a 10-megapixel selfie camera and a 4-megapixel under display camera. The main camera features a 23 percent brighter sensor and enhanced processing power for improved images.
The Z Fold 4 is the first smartphone to ship with AndroidL, a version of Android designed for large-screen experiences. There is a new Taskbar that’s designed to make multitasking simpler and more intuitive, and Samsung has partnered with Google and Microsoft to create apps that take better advantage of the screen space.
Both devices use Gorilla Glass Victus_ and Samsung’s Armor Aluminum frames for durability. Inside, the two smartphones feature 5G connectivity and are equipped with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chips that can reach speeds of up to 3.2GHz, along with high-capacity batteries that support fast charging and Wireless PowerShare for charging other Qi-based accessories.
Other features include an IPX8 water resistance rating, WiFi 6E support, up to 12GB RAM and 1TB of storage, and Android 12 support.
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is priced starting at $1,000, and the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is priced starting at $1,800. Pre-orders are available starting today, and customers who pre-order one of Samsung’s new foldable smartphones will get a complimentary memory upgrade to double their storage space.
Samsung today is also announcing updated $230 Galaxy Buds 2 Pro with Hi-Fi 24bit Audio, a smaller design, and improved Active Noise Cancellation, plus new Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro devices.
The smart watches measure heart rate, blood oxygen level, and stress level, and support ECGs and temperature sensing, a feature rumored for the Apple Watch Series 8. Body composition, sleep tracking, and smart home integration are also included. The Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro are priced starting at $280 and $450, respectively.
This article, “Samsung Launches New Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 Smartphones” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Samsung Teases New Foldable Smartphones Set to Debut at August 10 ‘Unpacked’ Event
The Unpacked event is set to take place on Wednesday, August 10 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, and Samsung is already taking reservations for the as-of-yet unannounced smartphones. “Find out how the next Galaxy is greater than phones now, and get ready to unfold your world of greater experiences at Samsung Unpacked,” reads the tagline for the event teasing the new devices.
Rumors suggest the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will have an updated design with a single hinge design instead of the double hinges of the prior-generation Samsung foldable phones. The new hinge will be smaller for a thinner and lighter design, and the smartphone will continue to fold like a book.
The Z Fold 4 is expected to continue to feature a 7.6-inch interior display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and it could have an under-display fingerprint sensor instead of a fingerprint sensor at the right side of the device. Upgraded cameras are coming, including a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom, a 50-megapixel wide-angle camera, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera. The Galaxy Fold 3 was priced at $1,800, and display analyst Ross Young says that the Fold 4 could get a small price cut.
As for the Galaxy Z Flip 4, it will continue to feature a 6.7-inch display that folds out vertically, but according to Young, it will have a larger 2-inch cover display. Not much else is known about the Z Flip 4, but camera improvements are possible, as are battery life improvements and new color options. Both new smartphones are expected to run the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus chips.
Samsung has been making foldable devices since the 2019 introduction of the Galaxy Fold, and the company has several years of experience with various design improvements and iterations.
Apple has yet to debut a foldable iPhone, though rumors suggest there are prototypes in the works. Right now, work is said to be in the early stages, and Apple has considered several foldable screen sizes, including one that unfolds to a size similar to the 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max and others in the eight to nine inch range.
Rumors about Apple’s foldable design have been all over the place, with some suggesting an invisible hinge and others pointing toward a two-display design with a visible hinge. There’s also been a rumor of a foldable iPhone with a clamshell design similar to the Galaxy Z Flip. Multiple sources indicate that 2025 is the earliest that we might see a foldable iPhone, so there’s plenty of time for Apple’s plans to change and evolve.
For more on what we know about a possible foldable iPhone, check out our dedicated foldable iPhone guide. Apple is also rumored to be working on a larger-screened foldable iPad.
This article, “Samsung Teases New Foldable Smartphones Set to Debut at August 10 ‘Unpacked’ Event” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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