Samsung’s next low-cost foldable device has our expectations up.
After the Galaxy Z Flip 3 debuted in the summer of 2013, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 has a lot to live up to. Samsung improved its clamshell-style foldable phone and introduced a far more acceptable $999 starting price with that variant.
However, there’s always potential for improvement, particularly in the newly growing category of foldable phones. Samsung has lots of room to improve the Galaxy Z Flip 3 when it releases a new model later this year. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 might, like its predecessor, be a game changer in terms of both battery life and durability.
Our knowledge of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 has been limited so far, but we’ve acquired information that might help make it one of the greatest foldable phones available.
Release date and possible pricing of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
We can only speculate based on Samsung’s previous Unpacked events, but we believe the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will be unveiled in August. It is possible that Samsung is trying to give itself some time before Apple’s iPhone 14 launches in September by launching the Galaxy Z phones in the middle of the year.
When it comes to the Galaxy Z Flip 4 pricing, we don’t see Samsung increasing the current asking price. Moreover, the Galaxy Z Flip 3’s $999 beginning price was one of its most distinguishing features. A reasonable pricing point is essential if Samsung wants more people to experiment with foldable devices. According to a tweet by Ross Young, a well-known leaker, the price might fall much more.
Rumored specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
A report indicates that Samsung will preserve the 6.7-inch internal and 1.9-inch exterior screens of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 in the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Considering the Flip 3’s design is excellent and the external display is quite handy, this makes sense.
A variant of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 with an under-display camera is also said to be in the works. We can only hope that this isn’t the final one, given the poor one seen on the Galaxy Z Fold 3. According to the leak’s source, Samsung is considering redesigning the hinge of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 to reduce the overall weight of the device. We only want to see a design like that of the Oppo Find N, which has no gaps between its panels.
Rumors suggest that the battery capacity of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 will be the same as the Flip 3’s (3,300 mAh). That would be a real shame if Samsung doesn’t come up with a solution, given the Flip’s battery life is now one of its main flaws.
Alternatively, a power button-mounted fingerprint sensor might be compared to the fingerprint sensor. For the time being, Samsung has determined the Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 are better off without an under-display fingerprint sensor.
It’s possible that a new name will be given to the device before the end of the year. Galaxy Flip 3 has been renamed in several European nations as a reaction to Russian authorities adopting the letter Z in favour of the Ukraine incursion, according to reports. It’s probable that Samsung will no longer use the Z suffix when referring to the Galaxy Flip 4 in the future.
What we’d want to see in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4:
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 was a significant upgrade over the first model. However, it was far from flawless. When Samsung unveils the Galaxy Z Flip 4, we expect it to solve some of these pressing concerns.
greater longevity of the battery
The battery life of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 was awful. In Tom’s Guide’s battery life test, the adaptive refresh rate setting didn’t even last six hours. That’s not a nice thing to happen. The 120Hz internal screens and the bigger cover display, which all consume more power, were a contributing factor, we believe. Keep a charger on available if you purchased the Galaxy Z Flip 3 in our review, as we advised.
We’d want to see the battery life of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 improve. Samsung may not be able to meet this simple requirement unless they increase the size of their power packs. This isn’t going to be a huge improvement on its own over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
Durability has been improved.
We’ve seen instances of Galaxy Z Flip 3 handsets failing after only a few months of use, despite Samsung’s efforts to improve the durability of its previous foldables. Even while we can’t corroborate these claims with our own experience, hearing that phones don’t last a year is troubling. The foldables industry still has a long way to go in this regard as well.
In a perfect world, the durability and lifespan of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 would be improved. No one wants to buy a phone for $999 just to have it malfunction or become unusable within a few months.
Hinge with no gaps
A significant area in which Oppo beat Samsung in the foldable phone market is the hinge design, which the Korean company pioneered. The hinge of the Oppo Find N is completely gapless. Because there is no space between the displays at the hinge, this should assist to protect the internal screens from dust and other debris that may otherwise get into them.
Our ideal design for the Galaxy Z Flip 4 (and the foldable version) would be a hinge with no gaps. Let Oppo’s strategy guide you, Samsung.
Improved battery life
The maximum wired charging power of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 was 15W, which is pitiful when compared to the rest of the industry, much alone phones that cost $1,000 or more. We expected the Flip 3 to charge more quickly, given the device’s poor battery life and the availability of phones that can charge at 65W.
At the absolute least, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 should have a battery capacity of at least 25W, which is the same as the Galaxy S22. A 45W wired charging is available for both of Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra and S22 Plus models.
a long-distance optic
As a cost-cutting measure, Samsung may have elected not to instal an optical telephoto lens in the Galaxy Z Flip 3. In addition to the phone’s primary camera, there was an ultrawide camera as well. As compared to the $999 Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus, which has a 3x telephoto lens, we believe the Flip 3’s absence of one is obvious.
Even if it’s simply a 2x or 2.5x zoom, we’d want to see a telephoto lens on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Samsung may have to make some compromises in order to make the switch to a foldable, but the loss of camera functionality seems like a more difficult one to explain.