Digital Trends spoke to Nick Porter, Samsung’s UK and Ireland vice president of product management and commercial operations, about the new phones, the trend and the all-important new hinge design.
Everything depends on it
“We’re really listening to feedback,” Porter told me, and for the Z Fold 4, customers asked Samsung for improved one-handed operation and a different screen ratio. It provides an internal display with an aspect ratio of 21.6:18 which is 3mm wider than the 22.5:18 display on the Z Fold 3 and the cover display has changed from a 24.5:9 ratio to a 23.1:9 ratio . Nick Porter, vice president of product management and commercial operations at Samsung UK and Ireland. When folded and unfolded, the Z Fold 4 is thinner and eight grams lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Although the Fold 4 is the same width when closed, the device is 3mm smaller and the smaller bezels make the screen of the cover to show the area appears larger. The change in aspect ratio on the internal display means that, when watching a video, any black bars will be smaller. “The 3mm increase in width and shortening of the phone means that when closed, operation is more seamless and you can use it effectively with one hand without losing the benefit of opening to a large screen.” Porter explained. “We’ve made it thinner and lighter, changed the aspect ratio and made the phone 6% lighter, and a lot of that is due to the work we’ve done on the hinge.” For the first three Fold phones, Samsung used horizontally placed gears for the hinge, but it has been redesigned for the Z Fold 4. “By rotating the rotary motion [of the gears] in a linear motion, we’ve reduced the amount of gear needed by making it thinner and shorter to fit into a smaller space,” said Porter, highlighting how the hinge enabled the rest of the Z Fold 4’s changes. Andrew Martonik/Digital Trends All this hasn’t come at the expense of durability, and the hinge still has the innovative brush system inside to clean dust and add lubrication, as well as an IPX8 water resistance rating. It has been tested to 200,000 folds, which is about the same as folding and unfolding the phone 100 times a day for the next five years.
Mainstream appeal
“I think this is the moment that folding goes mainstream,” Porter told me confidently. “We started developing foldables in 2011, we are now in our fourth generation and we have really learned a lot. Now we’re creating foldables not just for early adopters, but for everyone.” While the foldable displays of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 first attract attention, we should also remember that these are the most powerful smartphones Samsung has released to date, each equipped with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon processor 8+ Gen 1. “The Z Fold 4 has the fastest processor we’ve ever put in a phone, an improved battery, a foldable screen with 1000 nits of brightness and PC-like performance,” Porter said. “When looking at the Z Flip 4, we’ve focused on ‘acceptability’ as it’s 10% thinner, has improved screen coverage and is the best compact camera phone we could fit. We’ve improved the functionality and performance of these products to showcase next-generation technology today.” Joe Maring/Digital Trends Having two phones aimed at different people is a key step toward mainstream adoption, which Porter says is closer than you think. “Last year, the total folding market was 10 million units, a 300% increase from 2020. And for the UK, in the first half of 2022, we saw a 700% increase in sales compared to the first half of 2020. We are seeing this dynamic to be completed in demand. We’re well on our way to making foldables mainstream. Having the right products, combined with the rapid growth of the market and listening to our customers, we can see that the shift is now becoming mainstream.”
By getting your hands on one
It’s great to hear about more power and an impressive new hinge, but despite the fact that Samsung is four generations old, many people have yet to use a foldable smartphone. “What we’ve learned is that people want to experience new technology,” Porter said. “But how do we create experiences for them to touch and feel the product, to fold it, to see the benefits of the display?” Andy Boxall/Digital Trends Andy Boxall/Digital Trends Andy Boxall/Digital Trends One answer is the creation of two giant, immersive and innovative pop-up stores in the center of two of the world’s busiest cities. “That’s why we have the new experience stores in London and New York, where people can come and experience the Galaxy Watch 5 phones, smartwatches and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro headphones.” Porter also revealed that many more retail locations will have foldable phones available for you to try in-store this year. “Last year, 20% of UK mobile shops had a foldable device on display, but this year, 80% will have a foldable device that people can try out.” The secret to understanding the benefits and, in turn, the desirability of a foldable smartphone is to actually use one. Samsung’s Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 are not only more “regular” than ever, but it’s easier — and if you get to one of the experience pop-ups, a lot more fun — to go out and try one before you buy, too. “It’s so important when technology is moving so fast,” Porter said. “Seeing is believing with these products.”
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