With regards to Samsung’s next-generation foldable phone, what they could and should be doing
If the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is to succeed where the Galaxy Z Fold 3 left off, it will have to overcome some formidable challenges. However, the foldable phone formula has not yet been mastered, so there is still opportunity for development.
While speculations about the Z Fold 4 are beginning to circulate, there is still a great deal we don’t know. Following are all of the leaks and speculations that have surfaced so far, as well as our opinions on how the Samsung Z Fold 4 can keep its title for greatest foldable phone for the foreseeable future.
See what the Galaxy Z Fold 4 may look like (and what we hope it looks like) in the gallery below.
Release date for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
When it comes to the likely introduction of the new Z Fold 4, both leaks and our expert assumptions are on the same page. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 was released in August, and the Galaxy Z Fold 2 was released in September the year before that. Both were released in the late summer/early autumn. As a result, we may anticipate the Z Fold 4 to be released by the end of August or the beginning of September.
We believe Samsung would like to avoid a probable iPhone 14 release date in mid-September.
There’s a chance the next Fold may go by a different name when it debuts. Galaxy Fold 3 is being sold by Samsung in various European nations as a reaction to Russian authorities’ use of the letter Z as a symbol to encourage their invasion of Ukraine. Speculation is rife that Samsung may delete the Z from the name of the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: Pricing
According to Korean leaker yeux1122 on Korean site Naver and Ross Young, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will be less expensive than the Z Fold 3, which is a good thing considering that the Z Fold 3 costs $1,799.
After dropping by $200 in a year, the price of the Z Fold 4 might decrease another $400 over the course of two years, reaching $1,599 for the 2020 model. The price difference between a foldable and a phablet is becoming smaller, so more people will be persuaded to purchase a foldable phone even though it’s still more costly.
This is the design of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4.
When it comes to the Z Fold 4, we’re still expecting Samsung to keep with the same basic design as the Z Fold 3. However, one leaker has already hinted at a few alterations.
Reworking the hinge and strengthening the phone’s waterproofing and dustproofing are among the ideas being considered by Samsung, according to a post on the Korean blogging site Naver. We’d want a phone that is less prone to water and dust harm.
Anthony, who goes by @TheGalox on Twitter, claims that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will feature a single hinge in the middle of the device, rather from the two used by the Galaxy Z Fold 3. This would allow the Z Fold 4 to be smaller and lighter while also increasing its durability.
Ice Universe claims that the internal display of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will feature a new aspect ratio that is more square than the Z Fold 3’s 5:4. Thus, the panel may be shortened and expanded at the same time.
If true, a rumour indicates that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 will not have a slot for the S Pen. Ice Universe, a leak site, has confirmed that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will not have an integrated S Pen. Aside from that wonderful news: he says it’s going to become smaller and slimmer with the upcoming design!
The front display of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 might change, according to a new report that Samsung is experimenting with its aspect ratio in Z Fold 4 prototypes. Chunv8888, a well-known Twitter tipster, reports that Samsung will choose from a variety of options, including ones that are almost identical to the current edition of the Z Fold 3.
In terms of the internal display, leaker yeux1122 speculates that Samsung will replace the present Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) technology with a more advanced one. Even if a S Pen pen isn’t incorporated into the phone, the upgraded material is expected to be more durable and of greater quality, making it easier to operate.
However, there are many alternative options Samsung could pursue if it opted to abandon the present book-style fold shape. There are three designs for portable foldable gadgets on display at Samsung Display at CES 2022. There are two s-fold designs, which generate three panels instead of two, and a “slidable,” which increases the screen’s width at will through software. It’s possible that Samsung may only use these concepts for future Z Fold phones, but the s-fold design appearing on the Z Fold 4 appears doable.
According to an unconfirmed report in a Korean newspaper, Claims have been made by the Elec that Samsung is working on a built-in S Pen for the Galaxy Z Fold 4. In light of the fact that the Galaxy S22 Ultra also has one, this would make perfect sense (like the Galaxy Notes of old). This would imply that the stylus would be housed in a separate compartment on the Fold 4. Because the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a storage problem with the S Pen, this would make travelling with it a snap.
The fingerprint-sensing power button seems to be the one design feature that won’t be altering. A button-mounted fingerprint sensor will be retained on the Z Fold 4, rather than the under-display module that was originally intended by Samsung for the device. However, the button-mounted sensor is already a dependable choice, so it may be preferable in the long run.
Even if the new technical work in the phone is more interesting, colour selections are still vital to the phone’s appearance. Z Fold 4 might come in beige, grey, or black, a trio of hues that aren’t very eye-catching for a phone that costs so much.
There are two new cameras on the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 is said to be using the same camera configuration as the Galaxy S22. This would allow you to view the same excellent telephoto lens with a 3x optical zoom, up from 2x on the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus feature 50MP main and 12MP ultra-wide cameras; however, a fresh rumour from leaker Dohyun Kim says that the next model will really acquire the S22 Ultra’s 108MP main camera. We’ll have to wait and see if this is true.
“Galaxy Z Fold4 108MP Camera” is all that’s said in his tweet, but that would be huge news and give the foldable an enormous edge over its competitors.
Compared to previous Samsung phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 offered the company’s first under-display camera on the primary screen. Another under-display camera is said to be added to the cover display of the Z Fold 4 by a Korean source.
Having said that, the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s under-display camera was one of its weakest qualities, so adding a second one isn’t ideal until Samsung improves the existing one. This is precisely what the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is projected to achieve, with a number of under-screen camera upgrades expected.
Cellular power is a major concern for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Unfortunately, we have just one rumour concerning the Z Fold 4’s power source, and it’s a negative one. According to this, Samsung will maintain the battery size of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 around the same.
One of the drawbacks of foldable phones is that they have a much larger screen to power, while having a battery the same size, or even less, than comparable devices. The battery life of the Z Fold 3 isn’t great, but if Samsung doesn’t change the amount of the battery, the phone will have to be more efficient in other areas if it wants to survive a whole day without being plugged in.
What we want to see from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold
This isn’t an exhaustive list of everything we’d want to see in Z Fold 4, but it’s a start.
The “Galaxy Flex Note” idea, based on a patent submitted by Samsung and given to reality by Technizo Concept and LetsGoDigital, is a good place to start. In particular, we like the single-display design and the inclusion of a place for the S Pen pen, which would establish the Z Fold series as the successor to Samsung’s Galaxy Note series, which may be coming to an end this year with the cancellation of the Galaxy Note 21.
We’ve seen some of these capabilities on past Samsung phones, and more are expected on the Z Fold 4 in the future. Galaxy Z Flip 3 Bespoke Edition, with its wide range of colour options, would be a natural match for the Z Fold 4, however it would need a greater level of personalisation due to the fact that one side of the folded phone is still completely screen-covered.
Similarly, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 may have new components like the Snapdragon 898/895 or Samsung’s latest LPDDR5X RAM. Samsung’s Galaxy S22 is likely to be the first phone to get these features, assuming they’re going to be released this year.
This is our wish list for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in a nutshell.
a much more effective cameras
Even though the Galaxy Z Fold 3 costs so much, it contains the same set of cameras as the Galaxy Z Fold 2 from last year, but with the internal selfie camera switched out for an under display camera.
It would be fantastic if the Z Fold 4’s cameras were better all around. Foldable phones from Samsung won’t be as camera-centric as their Galaxy S phones, but bigger or higher-resolution sensors would still be a pleasant feature. In addition, it would be wonderful to have a more powerful Space Zoom option.
Include a place to keep the S Pen when travelling.
Samsung’s Z Fold 3 was the first foldable to have the S Pen pen, so it only seems natural that the firm would expand on that success with the Z Fold 4. To avoid having to carry around a S Pen separately or in a specially designed case, Samsung hopes to include the pen into its new Galaxy Z Fold 4 design, as seen in this concept image.
According to rumours, the Galaxy S22 Ultra will include a S Pen slot, thus the Galaxy Z Fold 4 should follow suit.
Another reduction in the cost of goods and services
Following in the footsteps of the Galaxy Z Flip 3, Samsung has to make foldables more affordable so that they can become as popular as other high-end smartphones. According to yeux1122, this was said, but it doesn’t imply anything right now. Between now and the phone’s official launch, a lot may happen.
Improved concealment of the display wrinkles
When using a foldable display to watch material, you may notice that the creases in the screen might be noticeable. Even though the crease won’t vanish, it would look better if it was less prominent.
An outline that is more streamlined
In order for a foldable phone to be particularly slim, the primary display has to be folded in half. However, the Z Fold 3’s most common criticism is that it’s excessively heavy and cumbersome to take about. The Z Fold 4’s overall size may stand to be reduced by a few more thousandths of an inch.
Battery life extension
To begin with, the Z Fold 3 has a disadvantage since it must power two screens, one of which is large enough to serve as a tablet. In our tests, we found a battery life of less than 8 hours, and we would want to see a battery capacity of at least 10 hours.