On August 11 this year, Samsung is expected to introduce a new range of foldable devices, likely the Galaxy Z Fold3 and a redesigned Z Flip clamshell. With Samsung's history of innovation, let's go through the firm's journey with its foldable devices, and everything we've seen since those first few concepts.
It all started with the Samsung Galaxy Fold, that was unveiled first back in March 2019. Despite the hype, the initial launch was delayed indefinitely after pre-release devices ran into trouble in the hands of reviewers.
However, in a comeback only Samsung could have pulled off, they launched a stronger version of the original Galaxy Fold in September of the same year.
With a 4.6-inch outer display and a massive 7.3-inch inner foldable display, it became one of the most coveted smartphones in the world, despite a $2,000 price tag, that translated to ₹1,64,999 when it was brought to India. The Galaxy Fold packed in all the latest hardware available at the time--a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset, 12GB RAM and a set of triple rear cameras--all in addition to that revolutionary folding screen.
Unfortunately, due to the troubled launch, public opinion seemed to see it mostly as a proof-of-concept device targeted at early adopters, rather than something for mass market users.
Still, it was a great lesson for Samsung, with competition from the likes of Xiaomi and Huawei threatening to establish their own foldable devices first.
Not long after the September launch of the Galaxy Fold, Samsung announced a surprise product--the Galaxy Z Flip. Unlike the large Fold that aimed at turning a smartphone into a tablet, the Z Flip was a clamshell flip phone, harking back to the days when phones weren't smart. This was also when Samsung introduced the foldable series as Galaxy Z, retroactively re-naming the first device as the Galaxy Z Fold as well.
The introduction of the Galaxy Z Flip indicated two main things--Samsung was serious about foldables, and it wanted to rule the foldable market at different price points. While still quite expensive at $1,380, or ₹1,09,999 in India, it was far more accessible than the previous device, and had the added benefit of looking like a fashion accessory, something that Samsung certainly tried to market it as.
But it wasn't just all looks, and no substance--the Z Flip came with a 6.7-inch foldable display that came protected with what Samsung called UTG or Ultra Thin Glass. This made the folding screen far more durable than the original Galaxy Fold's all-plastic display, and felt sturdier to the touch, something that was demonstrated quite well by some tech reviewers.
Cut to August 2020, and after plenty of leaks and speculation, Samsung released the Galaxy Z Fold2, the highly anticipated successor to the original Fold. With a larger 6.3-inch outer display and a larger 7.6-inch inner folding display, it was a true testament to Samsung's ability to improve.
The new Z Fold2 used the same stronger Ultra Thin Glass technology that was first seen on the Z Flip, but it also got a better hinge, with brushes that kept dust out of the complex folding mechanism. It also cemented Samsung's vision for the future when it came to large foldables, and with a slightly more accessible price tag of ₹1,49,999 in India, solidified the firm's position in the foldable smartphone range.
It's no surprise then, that Samsung rules the global foldable market share, despite competition from the likes of Motorola, Huawei and Xiaomi.
With its dominance in the foldable smartphone segment, what features are you expecting on the new foldables?
