he Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 is a vast improvement on prior Fold models, it’s refined and is now a highly practical offering
If you are a power user when it comes to smartphones this is the device you really need to get you through a busy day.
Access to information is a lot easier with this device and it delivers the best of both worlds a practical small screen and a highly functional large screen.
At $2,699 this device should have the same camera rig as the Samsung S22 Ultra which houses the best camera setup and software of any smartphone in the market.
I was never really a fan of Samsung’s previous Galaxy Z Fold smartphones, but the new model and it’s major improvements have definitely changed that.
I have been using the new Galaxy Fold 4 for the past few weeks and during a trip to IFA in Belin and later Singapore I really got a feel for what the new device was all about, and why foldable smartphones like the Fold 4 now have a big future.
One word stands out practicality, whether it’s reading a map at IFA using the big 7.6″ foldable screen or using maps between events in Berlin this device delivers in a significant way.
Sitting down for breakfast and reading the news or emails on this device is a totally new experience as you can litterally see a lot more without having to go to a tablet.
The quality of images and information delivered to the screen is up there with the best you can get in a smartphone.
The high refresh rate is ideal for playing video games, and the adding of support for an S pen for writing and drawing comes in really handy.
I found at the IFA trade show I could quickly scribble down notes or even take notes while using the excellent Samsung voice recorder which can be found in the Samsung apps.
What I strongly recommend if you buy the Samsung Fold 4 is that you also purchase a Samsung cover that comes with a pen.
The design is brilliant as his cover not only delivers protection you also have two options; you can use the device with the pen which can be mounted easily on the cover or slide out the pen attachment and slide in a stand which makes watching video or the reading of content a far more enjoyable experience than with a traditional smartphone.
Despite not being a huge fan of previous Galaxy Fold phones, I cannot get enough of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 which now has bucketloads of power and memory.
Powered by the new Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip along with 12GB of RAM and with default storage of 256GB,which can be upgrade to 512GB or 1TB this device has a lot more capability than past models.
the only weakness with the fold 4 is that while the camera is a big improvement on previous models the camera is not as good as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra but it’s still really good for everyday use and the shooting of videos.
I am fussy about cameras because at a show like IFA I need the ultimate quality for reproduction in publications such as SmartHouse and Plug magazines and the Fold while it’s good it’s a tad off the pace when it comes to high-res images which the S22 Ultra delivers.
In closed mode there are three cameras visible on the back of the Fold 4.
They consist of a main camera with a wide-angle lens, another one with an ultrawide lens and a third with a 3x telephoto lens.
There’s also a selfie camera on the cover screen and an under-display camera behind the main screen.
The under-display camera which is okay for a video conference call isn’t invisible but it is better than having a hole-punch cut out or notch.
What you are getting in the camera rig is the same cameras as the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus.
The new device looks similar to the old model Fold’s but the really big improvements is the number of small refinements that have turned this device into a must have tool for those that want more than just a smartphone.
Firstly, the phone is lighter though the cover which I seriously recommend does add a little bit more weight.
The hinge has been tucked in more making it a lot thinner, while the bezels on the cover screen is a tad smaller making it feel better and more comfortable in the hand.
The Fold 4 is also 3 millimetres wider than last year’s Fold 3, which is why the comfort factor comes into play, you can also for the first time in the Folds evolution, open and close this device with one hand.
At $2,699 at JB Hi Fi and The Good Guys, this device is not cheap, but as I see it this is well worth the price because for two or more years, I suspect users are going to be walking around with a cutting-edge portable office, entertainment and gaming system that fits in a pocket.
This is a tailored device which Samsung engineers have taken to a new level and I suspect made it very hard for competitors to compete or even enter the foldable market.
Take TCL they have been talking foldable for three years, they even showed us several prototypes but due to Samsungs manufacturing capability they have been unable to deliver a product to market.
As for the weight reduction, this has been achieved because Samsung has used a new generation of aluminium, and Gorilla Glass which while being lighter still delivers a solid feel in the hand.
The OS on Samsung’s new top end foldable, is Android 12L with a layer of Flex Mode.
Flex Mode allows you to move on the app you’re using to the top of the screen while displaying the controls at the bottom when the phone is positioned half-open.
Another big improvement is the task bar at the bottom of the big screen allowing users to tap and move between apps easily.
There is also a new cursor and trackpad available in Flex mode and because Samsung is using Android12L the device instantly translates content to work seamlessly on the large screen when it’s flipped open.
Having a small screen when the device is folded really worked for me, especially if you have set up the flip out bar on the right to easily access apps such as an airline app when travelling or a Currency exchange app.
You can also easily make calls and access immediate content.
Multi-tasking is also easy all you do is drag one app on top of the other, and that’s it.
Then there are the Fold 4 watch videos.
Watching videos or sporting events on this device is seriously impressive and if you close the Fold, playback picks up instantly on the 6.2-inch cover screen and vice versa.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4’s battery is the same size as the Fold 3’s, and during days of heavy use at the IFA trade show I never once ran out of battery due in part to the new Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor which is deliver better battery life management.
he Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 is a vast improvement on prior Fold models, it’s refined and is now a highly practical offering
If you are a power user when it comes to smartphones this is the device you really need to get you through a busy day.
Access to information is a lot easier with this device and it delivers the best of both worlds a practical small screen and a highly functional large screen.
At $2,699 this device should have the same camera rig as the Samsung S22 Ultra which houses the best camera setup and software of any smartphone in the market.