We have come a long way from Nokia Communicators, but foldable phones are still in vogue. Out of the smartphone brands working on foldable phones, Samsung is the first one to come out with a viable market product.
That's right! The Samsung Galaxy Fold could hit the stores as early as April 26th this year. Samsung launched the phone at Galaxy Unpacked event o February 20, giving a closer look at the phone.
So are you wondering how the Samsung foldable phone will turn out?
We will take a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy Fold and explore all the bells and whistles that set it apart!
How does the Samsung Foldable Phone Work?
If you have seen a Nokia Communicator, you have a pretty fair idea of how foldable phones work. You can think of it as a book which can be opened and then folded back.
Galaxy Fold is a tablet-sized device which can be folded to fit your pockets. When unfolded, you have a big display and a separate display on the outer side which allows you to use the device like a smartphone.
The phone comes with a sturdy backbone and uses a hinge system that features numerous interlocking gears. You can't see the gears as they are hidden, but they are what makes the phone foldable.
Samsung claims that the phones can be folded for a minimum of 200,000 times. So if you fold the phone 100 times during a day, the Galaxy Fold will last for 5 years.
High-End Specifications
Galaxy Fold costs almost twice as much as the base models of iPhone XS and Galaxy Note 9. For that price, you would expect a high specification device and Samsung doesn't let you down.
The foldable phone packs a Qualcomm 7nm octa-core processor with 12 GB of RAM. With that much power, you can pull off any intensive app without a problem!
The 7.3-inch display uses Infinity Flex Display to unfurl into a tablet-size screen and fold into a small screen in the smartphone mode. The QXGA+ main display supports a resolution of 1536 x 2152 pixels with 414-pixel density.
The HD+ phone screen measures 4.6-inches with large bezels taking up the main space.
Samsung is providing 512 GB Universal Flash Storage 3.0 (eUFS) for quick data transfer speeds. But sadly, there is no expansion slot, so you are always dependent on internal memory. It also lacks a 3.5mm audio jack though you get Samsung wireless earbuds for free!
You can take advantage of three rear cameras- a 12-megapixel for wide-angle shots, another 12-megapixel camera for telephoto needs and one 12-megapixel camera for wide angles.
You also have a dual 10-megapixel front camera for exceptional selfies!
The device is equipped with two batteries on each fold delivering a combined 4380 mAh. Samsung Galaxy Fold will come with Android Pie with the proprietary One UI interface.
You will be able to choose between a 5G and LTE version.
Run Three Apps at a Time!
You can run three apps on Galaxy Fold in full-mode- that means you can watch videos on Youtube, message your bestie on WhatsApp and upload pictures on your Instagram, all at the same time!
The apps will adjust themselves on the screens when you switch between phone and tablet mode using an app continuity system. Samsung has been collaborating with Google to make the transition as smooth as possible without any lags.
The Android Pie is expected to support this feature seamlessly.
When will Galaxy Fold Launch?
Galaxy Fold will be available in the USA from April 26th from T-Mobile and AT&T for a price of $1,980.
Samsung is looking to roll out the phones in Europe around May 3rd with a price of 2,000 Euros.
So far it looks the Galaxy Fold is a phone of your dreams. But there are some glaring questions that stand out. For starters, the biggest issue is the selling point of the phone- its foldable nature!
Galaxy Fold Doesn't Fold Flat
Take a look at the teaser Samsung released about the Galaxy Fold. Do you find something amiss?
Take a good look (though it's only there for a few seconds) around how the phone folds around the hinges. What do you see?
Yes! There is a gap between the two folds of and the phone doesn't fold flat. It's a common problem with foldable phones and Samsung doesn't seem to have taken the pain to address it! In fact, they also refrained from commenting on the topic at their Galaxy Unpacked event.
So what problem can it pose?
You can face issues with ergonomics and makes the phone look unattractive. The two parts of the phone seem to be placed at an angle of 85-degrees from the hinge. That will make the phone screen tilt at an angle of say 10-degrees.
It's certainly odd and can take some time to get used to. We also can't really tell what will happen if the phone is exposed to pressure in your pockets- it might damage the hinge system!
What about Durability?
Fragility is another concern that may tail along Galaxy Fold. Any hinge system can have vulnerabilities even though Samsung claims it can withstand thousands of folding and unfolding.
We also have to consider what happens when you drop the phone. Does the hinge gap protect the screens or result in more damage?
We can only say if we get to use the phone for an extended period of time!
So Who's Galaxy Fold For?
Not many people will splurge in to buy a phone that costs over $1,000. But the gadget freaks looking to get hold of bleeding edge technology and performance will find Galaxy Fold appealing.
