Galaxy Z Flip 4: more battery and performance for Samsung’s flagship folding | Technology

Samsung tripled the turnover of folding models in the first half of 2022, compared to the same period last year. Mobile phones with screens that double from technological giants landed on the market in 2019. Although they have gradually gained popularity, they are still far from being mass devices. But the South Korean brand does not stop trying to achieve it and has presented this Wednesday, at the expected Galaxy Unpacked event, two new folding terminals: the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and the Galaxy Z Fold 4.

These are two phones designed for different users. The Z Flip, Samsung’s best-selling foldable, emulates the old phones that were characterized by their typical shape. clam and it stands out because when it is folded it fits practically in any pocket. The Z Fold, for its part, has a book-like format and protrudes through a gigantic screen when it is unfolded. EL PAÍS has been able to have a first contact with both mobiles on a trip to London to which he has been invited by Samsung.

The design of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is quite similar to that of its predecessor, although Samsung claims that it is built with a thinner hinge and bezels than the previous generation. “Flip users love their devices because they can interact with their digital worlds, without displaying them,” they say from the company. The mobile has an external screen of 1.9 inches. Although this panel is too small to perform multiple actions, it is useful to check notifications.

In addition, Samsung claims to have added new features “so that users can stay more focused on the moment and less on their phones.” One of the main limitations of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 was that it did not allow you to reply to messages when it was folded. Now the user can reply from the external screen with audio, emojis or some preselected responses such as “I’m late, but I’ll be there soon”, “how are you doing?” or where you are?”. Samsung also claims to have added some widgets to make calls and control other smart devices.

The terminal opens and closes easily. Although it is possible to do it with one hand with a little effort, it is more comfortable to use both. Unfolded, it has a 6.7-inch screen and can be used as a smartphone conventional. In the middle of the panel, just where the mobile is folded, a small indentation is still visible when you drag your finger over it.

In the photographic section, in addition to a 10-megapixel front camera, the mobile has two rear sensors – one main and one wide-angle – of 12 megapixels each. The tech giant claims to have improved the Z Flip 4’s cameras “for brighter photos and stable videos, even at night.” User can take selfies with the double rear camera and preview them without unfolding the device. This feature now incorporates portrait mode.

When the mobile is folded in half, it can be kept in an “L” shape. In this position, the so-called Flex mode is activated and the layout of some applications – such as YouTube, Facebook Messenger and Google Meet – changes automatically. This mode is especially useful for using the camera hands-free, making video calls, and taking photos without using a tripod.

The terminal incorporates the Qualcomm processor for the high-end Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. In addition, it has 8 GB of RAM and 128, 256 or 512 GB of storage. While the battery of the Galaxy Z Flip 3 was 3,300 mAh, that of the Z Flip 4 increases to 3,700 mAh. This increase, according to the South Korean brand, “gives users an additional three hours of video transmission.”

Galaxy ZFold 4

After the eventful arrival on the market of the first Galaxy Z Fold, in recent years Samsung has improved the design of this terminal, which weighs 263 grams. Although quite similar to its predecessor, the latest Galazy Z Fold features a slightly different aspect ratio. The 6.2-inch external panel is now slightly wider. “Something that gives the user a standard smartphone experience on the outside and a tablet-like experience on the inside,” the company notes. The new proportions, in theory, “make it easier for users to interact with just one hand when using this screen.”

With the large main screen of this terminal, 7.6 inches and slightly wider than its predecessor, Samsung’s goal is to enhance multitasking and allow the user to use several applications simultaneously. The company describes it as “holding a smartphone and a tablet at the same time.” The mobile is compatible with the S Pen stylus, which traditionally accompanied the Note range and is used to write, take notes or draw by hand just as it would be done in a notebook.

Samsung wants the terminal to look more and more like a PC. The main screen has a new taskbar that resembles that of a computer and allows the user to access their apps favorites and recently used. Some popular social networking applications, such as Facebook, have been optimized for use on the home screen.

Samsung’s largest folding incorporates some new features in the photographic section. It has five cameras: one hidden under the main 4-megapixel screen, another on the outer 10-megapixel screen and a triple rear camera made up of a 12-megapixel main sensor, a 50-megapixel wide-angle and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom. With the wide angle, Samsung promises four times the resolution of the Z Fold 3 and 23% brighter images in dark environments.

Like the Z Flip 4, the new Z Fold also has the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor. It also includes 12 GB of RAM and three versions of storage —256 GB, 512 GB or 1TB—. The battery maintains the 4,400 mAh of the Z Fold 3. Both mobiles have a fast charge that, according to the company, allows the battery to be filled to 50% in half an hour. The terminals can be reserved from August 10 in some European countries and will be available from August 26.

New ‘smartwatches’ and headphones

In addition to foldable phones, Samsung has also introduced two new smartwatches: the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. With a larger surface area and more direct contact with the wrist, these devices are supposed to measure health indicators more accurately. than its predecessors. But it must be borne in mind that they are not medical devices: the data they offer is only indicative and should not be used for medical purposes.

Among the main novelties of the Galaxy Watch 5, there is an improved sleep monitoring interface, a sapphire crystal screen that is 60% more resistant to scratches and a battery that is 13% larger than that of the Galaxy Watch 4. The charge is , in addition, 30% faster than its predecessor and theoretically provides eight hours of extra battery life after eight minutes on the charger. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is designed for those who do outdoor activities. In addition to greater durability, the South Korean brand ensures that it is adapted to monitor activities such as hiking or cycling.

The main novelty of the new Samsung headphones, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, is that they have 24-bit audio support. “They allow you to hear the slightest sigh of an artist or that particular note that you have never heard in your favorite song,” they say from Samsung. Additionally, the company has redesigned these noise-cancelling headphones to make wearing them more comfortable. They are now 15% smaller and fit better in the ear to prevent rotation, for example during exercise.

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