Will you consider buying a foldable this year?
According to some new sources, core components for the new Samsung Galaxy foldables entered mass production. We also have a few new render images that show off how little has changed design-wise on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 flagships.
The Elec (via GSMArena) reports that Samsung has placed enough orders to manufacture 10 million Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 units. This year, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 should account for about 70% of units produced, while 30% will remain for the Z Fold 4, which isn’t surprising as it’s expected to cost significantly more than the Flip variant, again, like last year. For reference, the Z Flip 3 accounted for 65%, and the Z Fold 3 for 35% last year. The report also notes that the complete production will begin as early as July, which means that we’re on track to expect an August announcement like last year for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3.
The report also states that Samsung has nearly doubled its order, and it managed to produce more than 7 million Galaxy foldables last year. Samsung Display will also boost its manufacturing capabilities and open three more production lines in its Vietnamese factories to increase production. Interestingly, the profit margin on the Galaxy Z series is expected to go from 20% to 15% to reduce the price, hence making it more affordable and appealing to a wider audience.
Galaxy Z Flip 4 renders
In other news, OnLeaks and 91Mobiles collaborated not that long ago to bring us some fresh new renders images of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4. The renders show that this year’s Flip 4 will be nearly identical to last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 3, both in terms of design and form factor.
The source claims the device to be thicker, 7.2mm compared to 6.9 mm last year, and pack the same 6.7-inch inner display. The cover display is also expected to be larger, although we don’t have much information about the exact size at the time of writing this. When it comes to specifications, the device is rumored to come equipped with the unrevealed Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus chipset. It may also have a slightly larger battery, resulting in better battery life.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 was notorious for its inefficiency, even with the high-end chipset. If Samsung wants to sell more units this year, the price must stay about the same at $999, or decrease more, and the battery life has to improve significantly.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 renders
We created a wishlist about the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and mentioned all the things that we wanted to see, but it appears that only a thing or two will change in the upcoming foldable. Ice Universe posted several images comparing the Galaxy Z Fold 3 with the next-generation Z Fold 4, which shows that the Fold 4 will be slightly wider on both the inner and outer displays and slightly smaller.
The exact size is hard to tell, but if we had to guess, we’d say that the size might remain the same, only the aspect ratio may change. The front display also appears to be slightly wider, making the screen more usable for day-to-day tasks. The problem with the Z Fold 3 was that it was too narrow, and some applications often cut off the side, and this appears to fix that problem.
Not much else is known at the moment; previous rumors suggested that it could have an S Pen, but the latest rumors claim that it won’t have that, and the battery might also remain very similar. However, the device could come with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus SoC, making the device more power-efficient, hopefully improving the not-so-great battery life.
Smartprix also says that the rear cameras protrude as much as on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, suggesting that we might see a major camera improvement on the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The Fold 3 used previous sensors to save on cost, and while it was more than usable and capable, it was a major leap in photography that many expected at that price range.
Will you consider buying a foldable this year?
The new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 devices appear to be slightly cheaper this year with some minor enhancements to improve durability, performance, and efficiency. OPPO, Motorola, HUAWEI, HONOR, Xiaomi, and other OEMs are also expected to announce their new foldable devices later this year. They will also come with new tweaks to improve last year’s predecessors.
With that in mind, would you purchase any of the upcoming foldable devices? If so, would you pick the flip’s form factor, or the Fold’s design? Alternatively, will you consider buying any of the last year’s foldable flagships at heavily discounted prices? Let us know in the comments below!
