Samsung has released the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, a new foldable smartphone that’s packed with features, but is it fad or functional?
Smartphone screen real estate – it seems to be something that’s as hotly debated, sought after, and coveted as, well, real real estate. Just in our lifetime (for most of us at least) we’ve gone from the first mobile phones – huge car batteries with a handset on top – through to priding ourselves on having the smallest, most discrete phone on the street. Now, as smartphones increasingly replace (or at least replicate) the PC experience, size matters once again, with every smartphone manufacturer sporting a flagship model that maximises screen size, keeps bezels to a minimum, and allows for ultimate functionality.
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At least that’s what Samsung is going for with its new Galaxy Z Fold2, which is essentially two slim smartphones wired together to create one over-sized screen. Delivering a new foldable experience (and hopefully one that fairs better than its predecessor), the Galaxy Z Fold2 boasts a larger cover screen and massive main screen, making it a unique work tool as well as a new medium for phone-based gamers.
The 6.2-inch Infinity-O HD+ Super AMOLED cover screen is up there with most smartphones in terms of usability; you can check email, look up directions, or even watch your favorite content without needing to unfold your device every time. When unfolded, the massive 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED main screen, with minimized bezels and notch-less front camera, immerses the user with a 120Hz adaptable refresh rate for smooth scrolling and gameplay. To complete the experience, the Galaxy Z Fold2 promises the best dynamic sound available on a Galaxy device to date, with enhanced stereo effects and clearer sound provided by high-dynamic dual speakers.
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Previous folding phones always proved to be clunky and less than sturdy but the design of the new Galaxy phone promises a smooth, high-end feel thanks to Samsung Ultra Thin glass on the main screen, providing a more premium and refined feel, and a customisable ‘hideaway hinge’, which fits seamlessly into the device body with the CAM mechanism and enables free-standing capabilities that power all-new Flex mode experiences. The Galaxy Z Fold2 also employs sweeper technology, first introduced on the Galaxy Z Flip, within the gap between the body and hinge housing to repel dust and undesirable particles.
The merits of a large main screen come into play when you’re reading documents, playing games, and also when you’re taking photos or video, with real-time photo review possible thanks to the phone’s Capture View mode. Auto framing and the phone’s Flex mode (essentially its ability to stay open at whatever angle you want) also means you can record hands-free video while keeping the subject in focus, even when it moves. It also means you can do split-screen multitasking using the phone’s Multi-Active Window, although compatible apps are still limited.
The ability to incorporate both cover screen and main screen also makes selfies a breeze – if that’s your thing, while the Dual Preview mode means your subject can see themselves in the frame as you prepare to take a shot, which is handy.
In terms of cameras, the Fold2 features a 10MP camera on the main screen, and another on the cover screen, as well as a three-lens system on the back that features 12MP wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto options.
Of course, with additional real estate comes additional drains on the battery life, and while the new Android 10 Samsung phone boasts a battery capacity of 4,500 mAh, spread across two separate battery cells, that high refresh rate promises to be power-thirsty, even with an adaptive mode that reduces the refresh depending on your phone use. Standard fast wired and wireless charging is available.
In terms of storage, the 5G dual-sim Fold2 features 12GB RAM with the option of 512GB (in selected markets, including Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan) but unfortunately, there’s no micros SD card slot so you’ll be cloud-dependant on anything beyond the internal memory. Other shortfalls include no included earbuds weatherproofing, but that’s to be expected given the phone’s groundbreaking design. The phone is also only available in Mystic Black and Mystic Bronze colour schemes, and no case is included.
With a price tag of US$2,000 this phone will always remain a niche release but it’s a tantalising hint at the future of smartphone tech and that constant pursuit of screen real estate.
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