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The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 are on the way. As expected, Samsung is about to announce a new line of folding smartphones. Price, release date, technical sheet, design, new features… We take stock of the information already available.
This August 10, 2022, Samsung will present the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4. As has been the case since 2020, the South Korean giant is offering its range of folding devices in two models: a smartphone convertible into a tablet and a a flip phone.
While the mobile phone market is at half mast, Samsung is betting a lot on its new generation of folding smartphones. The manufacturer hopes to sell twice as many folding phones as last year. Thanks to its new offer, the South Korean group aims to mitigate the impact of the market decline on its financial results. Samsung also hopes to compete with Apple, which is about to draw its new iPhone 14.
Refined design
As the official images show, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 would largely take over the design of the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The device would be built around a huge 7.56-inch folding Full HD + 120 Hz AMOLED screen. On the back, Samsung would integrate a 6.2-inch HD+ touchscreen. Like previous models, the Z Fold 4 is a smartphone that converts into a tablet. It is mainly aimed at professionals looking for better productivity.
To protect the secondary screen and the back of the Z Fold 4, Samsung would bet on Corning Gorilla Glass Victus + glass protection. Already present on the Galaxy S22 range, this protective glass is intended to be more robust than the protection used on the Galaxy Z Fold 3. On the side of the folding screen, Samsung would rely on a Super UTG panel, a new ultra-thin glass.
As on the previous model, the fingerprint reader is housed on the right edge of the power button. Similarly, the photo sensor for selfies should once again be hidden under the main screen. This year again, the folding smartphone would be accompanied by an S-Pen stylus, the flagship accessory of the defunct Galaxy Note range.
Like last year, the Z Fold 4 would again skip the storage drawer for the stylus. Small novelty, Samsung would have developed a new central hinge. Thanks to this new system, less imposing than before, the brand would have finally managed to reduce the fold visible on the surface of the screen.
Same approach on the side of the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Samsung takes the design of its previous flip smartphone. The phone would sport a 6.7-inch folding Full HD + 120 Hz AMOLED screen, like the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Samsung would have increased the size of the secondary touch screen, intended to consult the time, the weather or the number of messages received. The HD+ screen would measure 1.9 inches, compared to 1.83 inches for the Z Flip 3. Otherwise, it would be similar to its predecessor. The front camera will be housed in a hole in the screen and the fingerprint reader will be accessible on the edge.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 would be available in three different colors: black, gold / beige and gray / blue. The Z Flip 4 would be offered in the following colors: gray, purple, gold and sky blue. The two flagships should benefit from an IPX8 waterproof rating. They could therefore be submerged up to 1.5 m deep for 30 minutes.
Performance, storage and battery life
Except surprise, the performance of two folding smartphones will be provided by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC. It is rumored that the Z Fold 4 would be equipped with 16 GB of RAM, against 12 GB on the Z Fold 3. A version with 12 GB, slightly cheaper, could be on the program. Less swift, the Z Flip 4 may have to make do with 8 GB of RAM.
On the internal storage side, Samsung would offer 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB of memory on the Z Fold 4. Last year, the Z Fold 3 was limited to 512 GB. The Z Flip 4 would be entitled to 128, 256 or 512 GB of storage. Again, Samsung is beefing up its offer. The Z Flip 3 had to deal with a maximum of 256 GB of memory.
Mirroring last year, Samsung would entrust the autonomy of the Z Fold 4 to a 4400 mAh battery. The smartphone would be compatible with 25W fast charging, and up to 11W with wireless charging. Reverse charging to charge compatible accessories would be limited to 4.5W. Despite the return of 25W charging, Samsung would have managed to improve the charging speed.
As for the Z Flip 4, it would be powered by a 3400 mAh battery, against 3700 mAh on the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Fast charging would again be limited to 15W, against 10W for wireless charging and 4.5 W for reverse load.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 would have a camera consisting of a 50-megapixel main lens, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens with x3 zoom. Samsung is said to have taken inspiration from the Galaxy S22 camera, which also has a 50-megapixel main sensor. This sensor can capture more light than the main lens of the Z Fold 3. Under the folding screen of the Z Fold 4, we should find a sensor for selfies of 16 megapixels. Finally, the hole located on the external screen would house a 10 megapixel lens.
Less sophisticated on this point, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 would be satisfied with a dual 12-megapixel sensor, identical to that of last year. On the selfie side, Samsung would bet again on a 10-megapixel camera.
A rising price
This year, Samsung should revise some of its prices upwards. By beefing up the technical sheet, which is enriched with additional RAM and internal storage, the South Korean group finds itself forced to increase its prices. This decision would also be due to the rise in the price of raw materials and inflation.
According to the latest leaks, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 would be sold at the starting price of 1799 euros in Europe, like the Z Fold 3. For the 512 GB version, on the other hand, you would have to pay up to 1919 euros, or 20 euros more than last year. The 1 TB and 16 GB RAM edition should go well beyond the 2000 euro mark. For the record, the price list of the Z Fold 3 when it was released oscillated between 1799 euros and 1899 euros.
More affordable, the Z Flip range would also be affected by the price increase. The basic version with 128 GB of storage of the Z Flip 4 would be marketed at the starting price of 1109 euros in the European market, up from 50 €. The variant with 256 GB of memory would be offered at 1,169 euros. Finally, the Z Flip 4 with 512 GB would rise to 1,280 euros. The increase is substantial, especially when we remember that the Z Flip 3 was sold at a price of 1059 and 1159 euros.
Launch imminent
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, Samsung will present the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 at an Unpacked conference scheduled for August 10, 2022. The presentation will begin at 4 p.m. Paris time. In the process, the brand will lift the veil on the Galaxy Watch 5, new connected watches, and the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.
If Samsung stays true to its habits, pre-orders will open in the wake of the conference. The smartphones are rumored to hit stores on Friday, August 26, 2022. The brand is used to releasing its new smartphones on a Friday, after two weeks of pre-orders.