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Samsung sees foldable phones as the key to the future of its mobile lineup. As one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world, Samsung influences the wider market.

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Samsung will release the Galaxy Z Fold 4 on August 26 for $1,800. Samsung continues to improve its foldable phone design with the Galaxy Z Fold 4, which launches on August 26 and starts at $1,800 (£1,649, AU$2,499). The new flip book-style phone, announced at Wednesday’s Unpacked event, has a tweaked design that should be easier to manage in phone mode. It also gets new software that takes advantage of the foldable screen and regular processor and camera upgrades. Samsung was an early entrant, launching its first Galaxy Fold device in 2019. Leading the foldable phone market by a wide margin in terms of shipments, according to estimates from Display Supply Chain Consultants and Omdia. But flip phones still represent a slice of the wider mobile phone market. The new Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 are Samsung’s latest attempt to change that, correcting some of the biggest criticisms of previous models, potentially making foldables more appealing to a wider audience. The Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, has a wider bezel display that looks more like a regular, non-folding phone when closed. The change makes apps look more natural, as the Z Fold 4’s screen isn’t as narrow. The difference is definitely noticeable compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 3, but the screen is still not as wide as a standard phone like the Galaxy S22 or the iPhone 13. Samsung is also doing more to make the Galaxy Z Fold 4 useful when its screen is folded in half. Flex mode, which splits an app between the top and bottom of the screen when the Z Fold is open, gets a new feature. You’ll be able to use the bottom half of the screen as a touchpad to control content on the top half, similar to the touchpad on a laptop. Now Playing: Watch This: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 First Take: Bigger Cover Display,…
5:43 This will make it easier to navigate apps in Flex mode, as you won’t have to hide the top of the screen with your finger as you scroll. The recently announced Galaxy Z Flip 4 also gets this feature, and Samsung says it will evaluate porting it to older Galaxy Z Fold and Flip devices. Samsung also says the Z Fold 4 is the first device to ship with Android 12L, the tablet-optimized version of Android. One of the most notable additions of Android 12 is the Z Fold 4’s new taskbar, which will make switching between apps more convenient.

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The overall design of the Z Fold 4 is generally the same, but Samsung claims the Z Fold 4 has a sturdier build. The exterior is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus Plus, while the tablet-sized display inside is said to be 45% more durable. Samsung also says the Z Fold 4’s internal display is brighter than its predecessor, and the internal camera under the display is less noticeable. Like the previous version, the Z Fold 4 is also compatible with the S Pen. Otherwise, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 gets the camera and processor upgrades you’d expect from an annual phone update. The camera is particularly noteworthy. Samsung upgrades the Z Fold 4’s three-lens camera system to a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens. This telephoto lens will support up to 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom. Samsung is also bringing the Galaxy S22’s improved low-light photography to the Z Fold 4 and Flip 4. The cover screen of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is wider than that of the Z Fold 3. Lisa Eadicicco/CNET Most people interested in the Galaxy Z Fold are probably more interested in the phone’s giant internal display than the camera. But at such a high price, the Z Fold 4 should have a camera that at least matches or surpasses those found on Samsung’s non-folding phones. The Galaxy Z Fold 4’s cameras are certainly a step in the right direction, representing a notable upgrade from the 12-megapixel wide, telephoto and ultra-wide lenses of the Z Fold 3. But the Galaxy S22 Ultra is still Samsung’s flagship camera phone . The Z Fold 4 will also run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, which is a newer and slightly upgraded version of the chip found in the Galaxy S22 series. Battery capacity also remains the same at 4,400mAh, which is a shame — CNET’s Patrick Holland was disappointed with the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s battery life. Lisa Eadicicco/CNET Overall, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a more refined and polished version of the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Samsung seems to have a better understanding of who these devices are aimed at now that they’ve been around for about three years. With its large screen and S Pen compatibility, Samsung is positioning the Z Fold 4 as a productivity device, like the defunct Galaxy Note. Establishing this direction means that Samsung can focus on adding new features that are unique and specific to the Z Fold, rather than just making sure that apps work smoothly on the Fold’s different screen sizes. At $1,800, the Z Fold 4 is still a tough sell. And while these new features are a sign of progress, they may not be enough to entice non-folding phone users. But it’s one step closer to understanding what role, if any, foldables might play in our lives. For more, check out the Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Watch 5, Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, and everything else Samsung announced.