As far as launches for revolutionary products are concerned, the Galaxy Fold could have gone a lot better. It\u2019s not for lack of hype, of course. Years of prelude punctuated by Samsung\u2019s own breathless expectations provided plenty of build-up, but in the end, the device felt like a partially baked disappointment.
\nA number of early units broke for a variety of reasons. Samsung recalled the foldable, went back to the drawing board and released it on a delayed timeline. I ran into issues with my second sample pretty quickly. At the end of the day, the device just demanded a level of gingerliness most users can\u2019t really afford with a day-to-day mobile device.<\/p>\n
My Galaxy Fold display is damaged after a day<\/p>\n
The Galaxy Fold Z 2, which was the centerpiece of today\u2019s Unpacked annex event, is largely devoted to addressing the biggest complaints about the original. Given the issues with the original, that\u2019s about as admirable a goal as any. We were all aware that the Galaxy Fold was going to be a learning process for Samsung \u2014 and certainly there\u2019s a certain degree of throwing caution to the wind \u2014 but relative to the company\u2019s other device, it just didn\u2019t feel finished.<\/p>\n
Image Credits: Samsung<\/p>\n
We certainly didn\u2019t feel comfortable advising people to purchase the device for $2,000. The Fold Z 2 is priced the same (which is to say still prohibitively expensive for most), but it could be the product the first gen should have been. I\u2019m going to wait until we\u2019ve had sufficient review time to say anything definitive about the device, but in Samsung\u2019s defense, the company does seem to have addressed most of the major issues with the original \u2014 thanks in no small part to some advances introduced with Flip last year.<\/p>\n
Living with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip<\/p>\n
The biggest update here is the addition of what the company calls \u201cUltra Thin Glass\u201d to the primary foldable 7.6-inch display. That was one of the largest pain points of the original \u2014 as cool as the technology is, it\u2019s not worth a lot if the touchscreen can\u2019t withstand touches. The technology here is more or less the same as what Samsung introduced with the Flip.<\/p>\n
Image Credits: Samsung<\/p>\n
The same goes for the new \u201csweeper\u201d technology, which builds in a brush to wick away particles that might otherwise fall into the phone. This was another issue with the original \u2014 crap was getting behind the screen, causing damage when pressure was applied to the front by the user. This is the third-generation of the feature, according to Samsung, sporting a thinner brush than the original. Per the company:<\/p>\n
To achieve this, Samsung developed 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, modified fiber composition and adjusted fiber density.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s a fancy way of saying they made thinner bristles. The hinge has also been improved to allow the device to stand at a variety of angles. That\u2019s going to be an important point as the company looks to compete directly with the likes of Microsoft\u2019s Surface Duo and any other dual-screen devices coming down the road. That\u2019s augmented by Flex Mode (another Flip addition), which reconfigures the screen to make the best use of the partially open display.<\/p>\n
Image Credits: Samsung<\/p>\n
The other big update here is the addition of a much larger front-facing screen. At 6.2 inches, the front of the device is actually a serviceable display for use while the device is closed. Last time around, the front-facing screen had a weirdly long aspect ratio and wasn\u2019t really great for anything but notifications. The company seemingly took something away from Huawei\u2019s first dip into the foldable category.
\nThe new Fold has 5G support, of course \u2014 that\u2019s now standard across the company\u2019s flagships, along with some mid-tier devices. That\u2019s coupled with a beefy 4,500 mAh of battery life (split in two, each behind a display), 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There\u2019s only one memory\/storage option for the device for the States, which will run $2,000.
\n
\nThat 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\u2019s also a bunch of other perks thrown in, like Founders Card membership and access to golfing, or dinner at a Michelin-star restaurant. I would have preferred a pair of Galaxy Buds, to be honest, but Samsung\u2019s really pushing the luxury angle here.
\nThe Galaxy Z Fold 2 is up for pre-order September 2, and starts shipping on the 18th.<\/p>\n