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Samsung has announced the Galaxy Z Fold 4, its newest large-format foldable phone.<\/p>\n
Samsung sees foldable phones as being key to the future of its mobile device lineup. As one of the world’s biggest smartphone manufacturers, Samsung influences the broader market.<\/p>\n
Samsung will release the Galaxy Z Fold 4 on Aug. 26 for $1,800.<\/p>\n
Samsung<\/span>\u00a0showed off its new Galaxy Z Fold 4 at last week’s\u00a0Unpacked event<\/span>. This high-end foldable phone’s modified design should make its phone mode easier to use than that of previous models. Plus, it’s getting new software that takes advantage of its foldable screen, along with routine upgrades to the processor and camera. It starts at $1,800 (\u00a31,649, AU$2,499) and goes on sale Aug. 26.<\/p>\n Samsung was an early entrant to the market, launching its first Galaxy Fold<\/span> device in 2019. It leads the foldable phone market by a wide margin in terms of shipments, according to estimates from Display Supply Chain Consultants<\/a> and Omdia<\/a>. But foldable phones still account for a sliver of the broader mobile phone market<\/a>. The new Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 are Samsung’s latest attempt to change that by remedying some of the biggest criticisms of previous models, potentially making foldables more appealing to a bigger audience.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, has a wider cover screen that more closely resembles a regular, nonfolding phone when closed. The change makes apps look more natural since the Z Fold 4’s screen isn’t as narrow. The difference is certainly noticeable compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 3,<\/a> but the display still isn’t quite as wide as a standard phone such as the Galaxy S22<\/a> or iPhone 13<\/a>.<\/p>\n Samsung is also doing more to make the Galaxy Z Fold 4 useful when its display is folded halfway. Flex mode, which splits an app between the top and bottom portions of the screen when the Z Fold is propped open, is getting a new feature. You’ll be able to use the bottom half of the screen as a trackpad to control content on the top half, similar to the touchpad on a laptop.\u00a0<\/p>\n That should make navigating apps in Flex mode easier, since you won’t have to obscure the top portion of the screen with your finger as you scroll. The newly announced Galaxy Z Flip 4 is getting this feature too, and Samsung says it will evaluate bringing it to older Galaxy Z Fold and Flip devices. Samsung also says the Z Fold 4 is the first device to ship with Android 12L<\/a>, the version of Android optimized for tablets. One of the most noticeable Android 12 additions is the Z Fold 4’s new task bar, which should make switching between apps more convenient.<\/p>\n The Z Fold 4’s overall design is generally the same, but Samsung claims the Z Fold 4 has a sturdier build. The outside is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus Plus, while the internal tablet-sized display is said to be 45% more durable. Samsung also says the Z Fold 4’s inner screen is brighter than its predecessor’s, and the interior under-display camera is less noticeable. Like the previous version, the Z Fold 4 is also compatible with the S Pen.<\/p>\n Otherwise, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is getting the camera and processor upgrades you’d expect from an annual phone update. The camera is particularly noteworthy; Samsung is upgrading the Z Fold 4’s triple lens camera system to a 50-megapixel main sensor, 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor and 10-megapixel telephoto lens. That telephoto lens will support optical zoom up to 3x and digital zoom up to 30x. Samsung is also bringing the Galaxy S22’s improved low light photography<\/span> to the Z Fold 4 and Flip 4.<\/p>\n The Galaxy Z Fold 4’s cover screen is wider than the Z Fold 3’s.<\/p>\n <\/span> Most people interested in the Galaxy Z Fold probably care more about the phone’s giant inner screen than the camera. But at such a high price, the Z Fold 4 should have a camera that at least matches or exceeds those found on Samsung’s non-folding phones. The Galaxy Z Fold 4’s cameras are certainly a step in the right direction, representing a notable upgrade from the Z Fold 3’s 12-megapixel wide, telephoto and ultrawide lenses. But the Galaxy S22 Ultra<\/span> is still Samsung’s top-of-the-line camera phone.<\/p>\n
\n Lisa Eadicicco\/CNET
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