With the introduction of revolutionary products, the Galaxy Fold could have done much better. It’s not for lack of hype, of course. The year-long prelude, punctuated by Samsung’s own breathless expectations, made for a lot of rebound, but in the end the device felt like a partially baked disappointment.
A number of early units collapsed for various reasons. Samsung remembered the leaflet, returned to the drawing board, and posted it on a delayed timeline. I had problems with my second sample pretty quickly. Ultimately, the device just required a level of light-heartedness that most users with an everyday mobile device can’t really afford.
The Galaxy Fold Z 2, which was at the heart of today’s Unpacked Annex event, is mostly dedicated to resolving the biggest complaints about the original. Given the problems with the original, this is as admirable a goal as any other. We were all aware that the Galaxy Fold was going to be a learning curve for Samsung – and there is certainly some degree of caution in the wind – but it just didn’t feel finished when compared to the company’s other device.
Credit: Samsung
We sure didn’t feel comfortable advising people to buy the device for $ 2,000. The price of the Fold Z 2 is the same (which is still prohibitively expensive for most), but it could be the product that the first generation should have been. I’ll wait until we have enough review time to say something specific about the device, but in Samsung’s defense, the company appears to have fixed most of the major issues with the original – thanks in no small part to some advances made with Flip last year .
The biggest update here is the addition of what the company calls “Ultra Thin Glass” to the primary, 7.6-inch foldable display. That was one of the original’s biggest weaknesses – as cool as the technology is, it’s not worth much if the touchscreen can’t withstand being touched. The technology here is more or less the same as what Samsung introduced with the Flip.
Credit: Samsung
The same goes for the new “sweeper” technology, which incorporates a brush to divert particles that might otherwise fall into the phone. This was another problem with the original – crap got behind the screen and caused damage when the user put pressure on the front. According to Samsung, this is the third generation of the feature with a thinner brush than the original. Per company:
To achieve this, Samsung has developed a new innovative sweeper technology to achieve the same level of protection in a smaller space. The Galaxy Z Fold2 hideaway hinge features revolutionary slim cutting technology, a modified fiber composition and an adjusted fiber density.
That’s a fancy way of saying they made the bristles thinner. The hinge has also been improved to allow the device to stand at different angles. This will be a key point as the company looks to compete directly with Microsoft Surface Duo and other future dual-screen devices. This is complemented by the Flex mode (another flip addition), which reconfigures the screen to make optimal use of the partially open display.
Credit: Samsung
The other big update here is the addition of a much larger front screen. At 6.2 inches, the front of the device is actually a serviceable display for use while the device is closed. Last time, the front-facing screen had an oddly long aspect ratio and was only good for notifications. The company has apparently taken some of Huawei’s first entry into the foldable category.
The new fold offers 5G support of course – that’s now standard on all of the company’s flagships, along with some mid-range devices. This is combined with a strong battery life of 4,500 mAh (divided into two parts, each behind a display), 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage. There is only one storage / storage option for the device for the US, which will cost $ 2,000.
This entitles the buyer to the Galaxy Z Premier service, which includes on-demand support for the phone and a one-time replacement after accidental screen damage. There are a number of other perks as well, such as membership on the Founders Card and access to golf or dinner in a Michelin-starred restaurant. To be honest, I would have liked a pair of Galaxy Buds, but Samsung is really pushing the luxury angle here.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 will be available for pre-order on September 2nd and will ship on September 18th.