About a third of voters in last week’s poll don’t care about foldables. But the rest do: would they choose a foldable Samsung? Most of them say they would, the two new Z series models proved quite popular.
When it comes to choosing between the Galaxy Z Flip4 and the Z Fold4, the former reignited some people’s love for flip phones, the latter appealed to those looking for powerful productivity that isn’t possible in a small screen
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 won over 46% of voters with only 14% preferring foldables from other brands. Some may not have that option, as Samsung is in the enviable position of being the only true foldable supplier in much of the world.
In places where there are viable alternatives, the discussion often boils down to form factor: the Z Fold4 is a big, heavy device. There’s no way around this, but it would be a real plus if the hinge closed without a gap. Samsung recently revealed that the hinge design is limited by the need to add dust and water resistance to the phone (the Galaxy Z models are the only foldables with an IP rating). The risk that a splash of water or a small piece of sand will send you to the shop for an expensive repair is not acceptable to Samsung.
Other discussions involved the aspect ratios of the screens, the 23:9 or so of the new model’s cover screen is a noticeable improvement over the Z Fold3, but some would like it to drop to 21:9.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 revealed an interesting divide: some were happy to see flip phones go the way of the dodo in the late 2000s, others really miss them. The latter group is the largest, as the Flip got a better percentage than the Fold with basically 50% of the votes in its favor.
For both foldables, a small contingent (around 5%) cling to their older models. Of course, foldables are still a new category, so most owners are new buyers rather than those looking to upgrade.
As always, there was the consideration of price. Samsung expects the foldable Galaxy Z to surpass the Galaxy S series in 2025 in the flagship segment. In addition, mobile chief TM Roh said that “foldables will become the new standard for smartphones,” which will also require more affordable models.
2025 is three years away. We are also three years away from 2019 when the first Galaxy Fold hit the market. If Samsung is right, we’re halfway to the era where foldables dominate the market.