The August 10 Samsung Unpacked event is approaching, which means that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 are already finished. I really hope Samsung has made these improvements. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to recommend these new foldable devices.
Foldable phones are still in their infancy even though we are facing the fourth generation. Just like the tablet smartphones before it, this new class of devices has some pain to overcome before it sees mainstream adoption. Samsung and others like Oppo need to address it before I’m convinced that I’m really suggesting it can fold for anyone but the most enthusiastic early adopter.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 both need to fix the following things before I can in good conscience suggest someone to buy them.
1. Battery life
This is my primary take on the current crop of foldable devices. Battery life is terrible on the Galaxy Z Flip 3, and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 isn’t much better. The batteries themselves, which are smaller than similar smartphones, should cover the displays and two internal screens, the latter operating at an adaptive refresh rate of 120Hz. That’s a lot to ask.
Now that we’ve seen that devices with a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset can outlast a similar Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Snapdragon 888 devices, I have some hope that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 will at least be able to do better. of their ancestors by a small margin.
Rumors say the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will have a 4,400mAh battery (split between the two halves of the phone), while the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is rumored to have a 3,700mAh battery, again split between the two halves of the phone. Considering another Samsung issue with battery life on the Galaxy S22 series, I think the little hope I’m having is fading with each passing day.
Battery life plays a big role in whether or not I will recommend a phone. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 should be better.
2. Cameras
Samsung is still struggling to beat Apple and Google among the best camera phones, and while the company has improved significantly lately, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 didn’t blow me away in the photography department. The software needs some work as I point out that both phones have fancy looks that are saturated with old Samsung themes.
This is not to mention the hardware itself. The Galaxy Z Flip 3, for example, has two cameras, the main and the ultrawide. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 adds a telephoto lens, but with only 2x optical zoom. Compare the Flip 3 and the similarly priced Galaxy S21 Plus that was released several months ago. The S21 Plus had a 3x hybrid zoom lens. Heck, look at the Galaxy S22 Plus, also $999 (which we expect the Flip 4) to cost. It has a 3x optical zoom camera.
The point is, the camera hardware of both the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 is inferior to their Galaxy S cousins. While the Fold 3 wasn’t necessarily aimed at photography enthusiasts, the Flip 3 targeted the general demographic, in an effort to To entice them with an achievable price tag. Those folks are more likely to care about their photos, and I don’t think the Flip 3 did as good here as the Galaxy S21 Plus did.
To be fair, rumors say the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will see a camera upgrade, like the 50MP main sensor over the 12MP found on the Galaxy Z Fold 3. It might also get a 10MP 3x optical zoom, likely like one of the Galaxy’s telephoto cameras. S22 Ultra. So there might be some hope after all, at least for the Fold 4.
3. Wrinkle width
Screen wrinkle – the joint where the two screens meet – is perhaps the most awful thing about the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. Not only is it visible, but you can also feel it when you slide your finger over it.
You might think this is on par with the course with folds, but it’s not actually true. The Oppo Find N is far less obnoxious with its display hinge. (And his hinge is better, but I digress). I want to see Samsung overcome this inconvenience this year, and I imagine they will.
Does screen wrinkle stop me recommending the Galaxy Z Fold 3 or the Galaxy Z Flip 3? Not by itself. But it adds to my other dissatisfaction with both phones.
4. Pricing
Here the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 really diverge. The latter likely won’t have trouble pricing, given the $999 price tag of its predecessor. But it’s Volume 4 that needs to work on this.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 launched with a starting price of $1,799, which is astronomical for a mobile device. No doubt it hampered the phone adoption rate, because it’s no secret that many people turn down even $1,000 for a phone.
Simply put, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 should be less expensive than the Galaxy Z Fold 3. But I don’t think that will happen, although it makes sense. It is difficult to recommend a phone with a volume of almost two thousand, especially given its notable shortcomings.
5. Application compatibility
Finally, we come to an issue that I’m not quite sure Samsung can solve on its own. In fact, the phone maker can’t. More app developers need to support flex mode. Part of the problem is that many Android apps aren’t designed for larger screens, which is partly why the Android tablet experience is less than that of the iPad. So it’s no surprise that there aren’t many apps that support Flex Mode.
But Samsung is one of the best phone manufacturers in the world, so if any company has the strength to convince developers to join in, it’s Samsung.
For now, I find the Galaxy Z Fold 3 lacking as much utility as it promises, while the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is full of missed opportunities. I think being able to tell people all of these cool app features when they’re considering a Galaxy Z Fold 4 or Galaxy Z Flip 4 would go a long way to speeding up the foldable adoption process.
Predictions for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4
I’ve outlined five things I want to see the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 do before I honestly recommend them. My job here is to help you all make the best phone buying decisions. If the phone fails to meet my criteria, no matter how great it is, I can’t recommend it.
Battery life is my biggest concern, and I can’t say I’m too optimistic about Samsung’s attempts to improve it this year. Hopefully we’ll start using the phones soon, at which point we’ll be putting both of them through Tom’s Guide’s battery life test to see if there’s any jump from last year. It is not a hindrance to clear it.
August 10 is only weeks away, and I expect to hear more about both folds in the days leading up to Unpacked. I hope Samsung has fulfilled at least some of my wish list.
[ad_2]
