Samsung Announces Galaxy Z Fold 4 With Software Improvement

The main theme of Samsung’s August 2022 Galaxy Unpacked Event today was the Flip, the company took some time to display a small assortment of new devices, namely foldable and wearables. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 represent Samsung’s fourth generation of foldable devices, making this time around a little different. It’s no longer about proving a concept; rather, this year will focus on making little adjustments to items that have already shown their worth.

The new Z Fold 4, which is priced at the same $1,799 cost as last year’s model, is the largest and most costly gadget in the Galaxy Unpacked range. As the sequel to Z Fold 3 from the previous year, not much has changed on the outside. It includes a massive 7.6-inch folding display on the inside, and when the shell is closed, the exterior display lets you use it more like a typical smartphone. This year’s model, according to Samsung, is lighter and smaller than the previous one, which should help it continue to feel more like a smartphone than a tablet. 

For this year’s Z Fold, the software-related improvements are the most fascinating. On the inner display’s bottom is a new program taskbar that resembles Windows. For multitasking, you can drag up to three different apps from the taskbar to the remainder of the screen. Want your email inbox to take up the majority of your screen while Spotify occupies the remaining space? Although a new “app pair” feature allows you to link apps so they always open together, you may still do that. There is already some light feature cribbing occurring in this area of the mobile market because that is quite similar to a feature on Microsoft’s Surface Duo 2.

For situations where you need to work on two documents simultaneously or something similar, several apps also allow you to open two instances side by side. Google Meet and Zoom, according to Samsung, have been specially designed for the Z Fold 4’s screen.

Regarding the camera, it has a triple-lens rear camera arrangement with a 50MP wide lens, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a 10MP telephoto lens. The Z Fold 4’s 4,400mAh battery, which supports wireless charging, will try its best to keep it going all day, while S-Pen compatibility lets you draw with Samsung’s own pen (sold separately).

With a smaller hinge and bezels, the overall design is slightly more streamlined. This is largely aesthetic and only slightly affects how compact the phone folds down; it is only a difference of a few thousandths of a millimetre (15.8mm thick at the hinge and 14.2mm where the sides meet). It weighs 263 grams as opposed to 271 grams for the Z Fold 3. Even though it functions as both a phone and a mini tablet, the phone is still somewhat heavy.

The 50-megapixel main camera, the 3x telephoto camera, the smaller bezels, and the slimmer hinge are all new features on the Fold 4. The front display has a little bit more space because it is a little bit wider. Even while it doesn’t add much, it does make the display seem a little less crowded and more like a typical phone. Samsung hasn’t yet reached the best possible flatness when the phone is folded; there is still a gap when the phone is closed. The Fold 4 now boasts a camera array befitting of a premium device thanks to this update. The 12-megapixel main camera from last year has been replaced with a 50-megapixel sensor with an f/1.8 lens and optical stabilization that is comparable to what is found on the S22 and S22 Plus. Although it should be an improvement, it still falls short of what you get with the S22 Ultra.

3x optical zoom is been added to the Z Fold 3’s 2x telephoto lens, although 2x doesn’t go very far. You may now utilize digital zoom all the way out to 30x, even though you definitely shouldn’t because space zoom is also accessible. These aren’t really improvements; rather, the Fold 4 is catching up to what the other Samsung flagships have to offer.

The cover screen of the Z Fold 4 is still 6.2 inches diagonally, but it is now three millimetres larger to provide the extremely constrained display with a bit more room to breathe. The main screen is still 7.6 inches, but Samsung claims that it is more durable and is 45 per cent stronger because of a stronger ultra-thin glass. The wrinkle is still visible. Even though the phone is fully extended, it won’t be a distraction if you seek it. This time, a pre-applied screen protector’s stickiness is stronger in an effort to lessen the annoying bubble issue that owners of earlier Fold models frequently experienced.

With 120Hz adjustable refresh rates, both screens are still OLED panels. There is still no Note-style silo, just an S Pen-compatible shell, but the main screen is still compatible with Samsung’s foldable-specific S Pen (available separately). And the cover screen still prohibits the use of the S Pen. This time, the Fold 4’s under-display camera is concealed a little bit better. It is still a 4-megapixel sensor, but according to Samsung, modifications to the pixel array on top of it reduce visual noise and enhance image quality.

With minor software modifications targeted at enhancing the multitasking experience, the Fold 4 comes pre-installed with One UI 4.1.1 based on Android 12L. The taskbar is now located at the bottom of the screen rather than on the side. In Flex mode, there is also a new touchpad feature that enables you with a tiny cursor to move around the top half of the screen like a miniature laptop.

Preorders for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 begin today, and the device will be made globally available starting August 26 from Samsung, carriers, and independent shops. In addition to the standard colours of grey-green, beige, and phantom black, Samsung will also offer a burgundy variant.