Since the first Fold, Samsung has had a number of challenges, covering everything from the phone’s design to its durability, as well as the apps that can be used on the device. But with the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Samsung seems to have ironed these out – at least a little better than it had in previous iterations.
But it’s not just ironing out some issues users had. Looking at what the Galaxy Z Fold 4 packs, you’d be mistaken for thinking Samsung has just released a new flagship. It sort of has, just in the body of something you might still consider a gimmick.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Samsung’s book-like foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 4, is being promoted by the company as a “multitasking powerhouse”. To make it such, the new foldy boy has a taskbar, sort of like a MacBook or even that god-awful Microsoft Surface Duo, which I’d consider a competitor to the Fold, if only it were remotely decent. The taskbar makes other apps easier to access while in-app, is completely customisable and works when the device is being used with two different displays on either screen.
Before we get into what else this thing is packing, let’s dig into the specs.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: Specs
A tiny bit smaller, a little bit lighter and a better screen-to-phone ratio.
- Main Display: 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Infinity Plex Display (2176 x 1812)
- Cover Display: 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X (2316 x 904)
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Dimensions: 130.1 x 155.1 x 6.3mm (unfolded), 67.1 x 155.1 x 15.8mm (folded to hinge)
- Weight: 263g
- Camera (rear): Ultra Wide 12MP, Wide 50MP, Telephoto 10MP
- Camera (cover): 10MP selfie cam
- Camera (under display): 4MP
- Processor: 4nm Octa-Core
- Memory: 12GB RAM
- Storage: 1TB, 512GB, 265GB
- Battery: 4,400mAh dual battery
- OS: Android 12
- Colours: Phantom Black, Graygreen, Beige
During Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2022, the company said the Fold 4 provides 17 per cent increase in CPU performance over the 3, 56 per cent increase when talking GPU and talking NPU, you’ll get a 74 per cent increase in performance with this year’s Fold.
Flagship features
If you skimmed through the above specs list with speed, go take a look next to ‘camera’ again. Yep. The Fold 4 has a 50MP Wide camera. This is a massive upgrade from last year’s 12MP Wide and it’s the same as what you’ll find on the S22 range. It’s also worth noting the telephoto camera boasts 10MP 3x optical zoom and 30x space zoom. Samsung is promising sharp and vivid night photography.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4’s guts are also more current than its S22 cousins. Instead of opting for a homemade Exynos processor this time around, the Z Fold 4 comes souped up with Qualcomm’s next-gen mobile processor, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. There’s also 12GB of RAM inside the Z Fold 4, and now three options for storage (up to 1TB). The 1TB really plays into this whole “made for creators” vibe Samsung is marketing the Fold 4 with. We already touched on the taskbar above, but the latest foldable also has some apps optimised for this book-like phone. Some examples are Google Meet, which brings the ability to chat via video with up to 100 people, as well as the app feeling more appropriate for a dual-screen phone. Facebook, if anyone still uses the megaZuck app, will also allow you to see your feed on one screen and use the Messenger function on the other. Microsoft apps have also been optimised, leaning into the Fold4 being positioned as Samsung expected, a phone made for work.
You can also watch a YouTube video on one screen and read comments on the other, with features such as the ‘Flex Mode Panel’ allowing you to customise that, too.
Of course, the Fold 4 comes optimised for the S Pen (which will be coloured the same as your chosen device). Samsung reckons this thing will be “ultra-precise” and will definitely make using this taskbar “workhorse” easier. The S Pen Fold Edition is only compatible with the Fold (the 3 and the 4), but you can also use the S Pen Pro with the new foldable.
While the battery is the same as its predecessor, Samsung is boasting all-day battery life for the Fold 4.
It’s also being sold for the same price as the Galaxy Z Fold3 was at launch.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: Australian pricing and release date
Preorder for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 will begin Thursday, August 11, with general availability starting September 2 in Australia.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 will cost:
- RRP $2,499 for the 256GB model
- RRP $2,699 for the 512GB model
- RRP $2,999 for the 1TB model.
If you preorder the Fold through Samsung, you’ll get a free memory upgrade, 50 per cent off Samsung Care+ and if you’re trading up for the Fold 4, you’ll get a $500 bonus off your total cost. With Optus, you’ll get a bonus Tab A8 (Grey 64GB); Telstra will throw in a Galaxy Watch 5; and Vodafone will give you $700 trade-in credit and a Samsung Trio Wireless Charger.
Samsung also used Galaxy Unpacked to unleash its new Galaxy Z Flip 4, Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro and the Samsung Buds 2 Pro.