Is there anything that Samsung could or should do with its next-generation foldable phone?
If the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is anything to go by, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a lot of ground to make up. Despite this, the foldable phone recipe has yet to be refined.
Even if the Z Fold 4 rumour mill is currently in full swing, there’s still a lot we don’t know. Following are all of the leaks and rumours that have surfaced so far, as well as our thoughts on how the Samsung Z Fold 4 can keep its title for best foldable phone for the foreseeable future.
Take a peek at what’s been rumoured (and what we’d like to see) for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in the following sections.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 could be out by the end of this year.
Our expert assumptions and the leaks we’ve seen so far agree on the expected release date of the Samsung Z Fold 4. 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 fall. As a result, the Z Fold 4 should arrive around the same time as the Z Fold 3.
It’s possible that Samsung would prefer to avoid a September 14 iPhone 14 launch date.
The next Fold might go under a different moniker when it makes its appearance. As a possible protest to Russia’s adoption of Z as a symbol of support for their invasion of Ukraine, Samsung has renamed its Galaxy Fold 2 to the Galaxy Fold 3. Samsung could be planning to drop the “Z” from the Galaxy Z Fold 4 name as a result of this, according to rumours.
Pricing for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
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 given that the Z Fold 3 costs $1,799.
After dropping by $200 in a year, the price of the Z Fold 4 might drop another $400 over the course of two years, to $1,599 for the 2020 model. However, as the gap narrows, more and more phone customers are likely to choose a foldable over a phablet-style phone.
The design of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Now that the Z Fold 4’s design has been leaked, we’re seeing a lot more information about what it might look like.
Images leaked by OnLeaks and Smartprix show a new batch of Galaxy Z Fold 4 renderings, which are expected to go on sale later this year. These renders, presuming they’re real, show the anticipated phone from nearly every aspect and reveal a slew of information regarding the foldable.
In terms of the rear cameras, it’s instantly apparent that they look like they did on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, rather than the Z Fold 3.
It’s unclear if the hinge design has been altered by OnLeaks and Smartprix, but that’s what these images suggest.
This information is consistent with previous reports, stating that both displays will measure 6.2 inches (outside) and 7.6 inches (inside). Also, the 120 Hz refresh rate is expected to remain.
Finally, according to the leakers, the phone will measure 6.1 x 5.1 x 0.27 inches when unfolded (155 x 130 x 7.1 mm). To be more precise, it would be narrower and thicker in comparison to its predecessor.
Several more rumours have pointed to the same leaked renders. It has been reported that Samsung is looking into revising its hinge to reduce weight and improve water and dust resistance, for example, on the Korean blogging site Naver. We’d want a phone that’s lighter and less prone to harm from liquids and dust.
According to Anthony, known as @TheGalox on Twitter, a single hinge will be used in the centre of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 rather than the two that were used in the Galaxy Z Fold 3 model. As a result, the Z Fold 4 would be able to have a lighter and thinner design, while also being more robust.
Instead of the Z Fold 3’s 5:4 aspect ratio, leaker Ice Universe claims that the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s internal display will be more square. Consequently, the panel can be both smaller and larger. According to a more recent leak from IU, the ratio will be 6:5, which is more square. It appears that the outside will remain narrow and tall, but perhaps not quite as tall as it was previously. Finally, Ice Universe claims that it will be lighter than the previous model, weighing less than 9.1 ounces in all (260 grams).
This report about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 not having a space for the S Pen is somewhat upsetting, if it’s true. According to Ice Universe, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will not feature a S Pen built-in. The good news is that he does indicate the design will be smaller and slimmer.
According to another rumour, Samsung has been tinkering with the aspect ratio of the front display of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 prototypes. As of now, there is no way to know which version of the Z Fold 3 Samsung will go with, but Twitter tipster Chunv8888 claims there are several options, some of which don’t differ significantly from the Z Fold 3.
Leakster yeux1122 claims that a new Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) material may be used for the phone’s interior display. Even if a S Pen stylus isn’t incorporated into the phone, the upgraded material is expected to be more durable and of greater quality, making it easier to operate.
If Samsung were to abandon the present book-style fold format, there are a number of additional options it might pursue. There are three concepts for portable foldable gadgets on display at Samsung Display at CES 2022. S-fold design is used to generate three panels instead of two, while “slidable” is used to expand the screen width. The s-fold design for the Z Fold 4 appears to be within Samsung’s reach, even if it’s only a notion for future Z Fold phones.
A rumour from a Korean media outlet, according to According to Elec, Samsung may be developing a Galaxy Z Fold 4 with an integrated S Pen. Since the Galaxy S22 Ultra has one, this would make sense (like the Galaxy Notes of old). This would imply that the stylus would be housed in a separate compartment on the Fold 4. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a storage problem for the S Pen, thus this would make S Pen use on the go much easier.
The fingerprint-sensing power button appears to be the one design feature that won’t be altering. Instead of using an under-display fingerprint sensor for the Z Fold 4, Samsung is said to have decided to stick with the Z Fold 3’s button-mounted sensor. However, the button-mounted sensor is already a dependable choice, so that may be preferable in the long run.
Though not as exciting as new engineering development, phone colour options nonetheless play a vital role in how it looks. Z Fold 4 could come in beige, grey, or black, a trio of colours that aren’t particularly eye-catching for a phone that costs so much.
Cameras on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
In the newest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 camera rumours, the telephoto camera is said to have a 50MP primary sensor and 3x optical zoom. A trio of 12MP lenses and 2x optical zoom were seen in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. On a $1,799 phone, these weren’t terrible, but they seemed a little sluggish.
According to this leak, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will have better photography performance than the Galaxy S22 if the information is true.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the first Samsung phone to use an under-display camera on the primary display, a significant advancement over prior models. In addition to this, a Korean leaker believes that the Z Fold 4 could add a second camera on the cover display.
If Samsung doesn’t improve the under-display camera on the Galaxy Z Fold 3, it’s not ideal to have another one. While rumoured to be doing so, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is supposed to gain an improved set of under-screen camera features.
the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: Battery and performance.
We only have one rumour to go on regarding the Z Fold 4’s power source: it’s bad news. Apparently, the battery on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 will remain around the same size as it is now.
Despite having a battery that is the same size or even less than comparable phones, foldable phones have a much larger screen to power. The battery life of the Z Fold 3 isn’t great, but if Samsung doesn’t change the capacity of the battery, the phone will have to be more efficient in other areas if it wants to last a whole day without being plugged in.
Leaked regulatory documents, however, suggest that the Z Fold 3’s 25W charging speed will not be increased to make up for this.
As for the new foldable’s chipset, Ice Universe claims that it will include a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus. In other words, it will be faster than the Galaxy S22 series and a slight improvement over the previous generation.
What we’d want to see in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold:
To fulfil your want for more Z Fold 4 information, we’ve put together our own wish list for the new foldable.
The “Galaxy Flex Note” concept, based on a patent filed by Samsung and given to reality by Technizo Concept and LetsGoDigital, is a good place to start. Using a single display and allowing for a S Pen stylus, this design would establish the Z Fold series as the successor to the Galaxy Note series, which saw a possible end with the cancellation of the Galaxy Note 21 this year.
We’ve seen some of these features 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 perfect match for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, however it would require a different level of personalisation due to the fact that one side of the folded phone is still full screen.
The Snapdragon 898/895 and Samsung’s latest LPDDR5X RAM, both of which have been speculated, could come on the Galaxy Z Fold 4. If they are going to be on phones this year, we’ll presumably see them first on the Samsung Galaxy S22.
To recap, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 should have the following features.
Cameras that are better
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 exchanged for an under display camera.
A better overall camera system would be nice for the Z Fold 4. Even though Samsung isn’t focusing on photography with its foldables, larger or higher-resolution sensors would still be a nice feature. In addition, a stronger Space Zoom would be welcome.
add on-board S Pen storage
Next-generation foldables from Samsung might make sense if the Z Fold 3’s S Pen stylus was incorporated into the design. We hope the stylus is integrated into the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s body, rather than requiring you to store it separately or in specially designed cases like in the concept design above.
For the Galaxy Z Fold 4, a S Pen slot is a logical progression from the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s speculated S-Pen slot.
Another reduction in the price
Foldable smartphones should be priced like standard flagship phones if Samsung is serious about making foldables mainstream, as demonstrated by its own Galaxy Z Flip 3. According to yeux1122, this was said, but it doesn’t imply much right now. Between now and the phone’s official launch, a lot can change.
Display wrinkles will be less noticeable.
One disadvantage of watching content on a foldable display is that the creases in the screen might occasionally detract from the viewing experience. Even though the crease won’t disappear, it would look better if it was less prominent.
Reduced size
It’s going to be difficult to make a foldable phone very thin due to the nature of folding the primary display in half. However, the most common criticism we hear from those who have used the Z Fold 3 is how heavy and cumbersome it is to transport. We’d like to see the Z Fold 4 lose a couple more millimetres in overall dimensions.
Batteries that last longer
The Z Fold 3 has to power two displays, one of which is the size of a small tablet, from the get-go. Our tests showed a battery life of less than eight hours, and we’d want to see that number rise to closer to ten hours by making use of a larger battery and other efficiency improvements.