After giving us a sneak preview of the device at its Unpacked Event in August, Samsung has finally unveiled its latest foldable phone-the Galaxy Z Fold 2. This new foldable, which is aimed at addressing the issues with its predecessor, is also a clear sign of Samsung’s commitment to this technology. The presentation gave us extensive details of why the Z Fold 2 will not repeat the mistakes of the Galaxy Fold. However, we can’t say anything for certain until we get the device in our hands. The one thing we do know for sure? The device will cost you a kidney and a half, but who’s even counting at this point right?
Now, the biggest issue of the Galaxy Fold-a flimsy screen, has been addressed by the use of “Ultra Thin Glass,” which will hopefully last much longer than the lacklustre display on the original Fold. Moreover, another issue with the Fold was the accumulation of dirt and other particles between the ‘Folds,’ which led to damage when the device was closed. The company addressed this using what it’s calling the new “sweeper” technology, which will, as the term suggests, sweep away any objects between the two screens using an inbuilt brush.
However, the biggest selling point of this device, and one that Samsung seemed to mention a lot is the ‘Flex Mode’, which will make use of the fact that the Z Fold 2 will support a variety of angles between the two screens. This will allow the phone to, for example, allow you to see a picture on one screen before you take it using the other, or view videos on different screens depending upon your mood, or better yet, achieve a level of multifunctionality that wasn’t possible before.
“Flex mode lets you fold Galaxy Z Fold2 at an angle and hold it any way you like — or not hold it at all. Simply fold it to use Flex view on the Main Screen and make a hands-free video call with Google Duo. Or flip it to Cover view on the front to comfortably watch your favorite show,” Samsung said.
The company says that “When folded shut, Galaxy Z Fold2 is a cutting-edge smartphone with a 15.81cm (6.2″) screen,” adding that “The expansive display gives you more room to play — perfect for texting, talking, and gaming.” This, again, is very different from the original Fold, which was not really good for anything except notifications. However, the phone shines when it is at its full glory, as the 7.6″ foldable display opens to deliver the rich colours of Dynamic AMOLED 2X. Moreover, the screen offers 120 Hz, which isn’t really anything new but it’s still good to have.
The display also has a very minimalistic camera hole, no notch, and slimmer bezels.
Samsung also realised that these two screens will require two batteries, which it has provided. Together, these batteries combine to deliver a 4500 mAh power source. Moreover, this battery will support the powerhouse that the Z Fold 2 is, thanks to 12 GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
While all of this might sound very enticing and might insist you to check the price of the device, we have some bad news. The phone will cost you about $2,000, which is way above anything anyone should pay for a smartphone. Samsung decided to listen to every complaint users had about the original Fold, except the exorbitant price. We are not saying that the device isn’t worth the price tag; it might be. However, for $2000, you can probably buy the flagship new GPU that Nvidia is set to launch today, which will last you a good 7-8 years.
