Samsung has leaped on the Galaxy Z Fold 2, but some people still experience screen cracks and other problems in normal use.
Galaxy Z Fold 2: Many changes in equipment materials and internal design should give this $1,799 foldable smartphone a better opportunity in the next few years. It looks like Fold 2, but improvements are everywhere.
The screen protector is now 80% stronger; Samsung uses Gorilla Glass Victus on the lid screen to enhance drop protection; now, the aluminum strength of the Fold 3 hinge is increased by 10%, and the entire device now has an IPX8 waterproof rating, which means it can be immersed in water for 30 minutes, and it should remain intact.
Snapdragon 888 has 12 GB RAM and is available in 256 GB or 512 GB storage configurations. Its three rear cameras are close to Fold 2: f / 1.8 wide-angle, f / 2.0 ultra-wide-angle, and f / 2.4 telephoto lens is still in use. The 12MP sensor and bezel remain unchanged. But the telephoto lens now has optical image stabilization.
The same is true for the 10 MP camera on the deck display. However, the camera on the main screen of Fold 3 has undergone major changes. Samsung has switched from a punch-hole selfie camera to an under-screen camera.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 is officially here, and it comes with S Pen support, water resistance, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888, 12GB of RAM, and much more. Here's @chriswelch with all the details: https://t.co/OwaJCePLtO pic.twitter.com/5INc8Wwr6l
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) August 11, 2021
This is not the first time we have encountered such a method; Xiaomi released a phone with a camera under the screen yesterday. Samsung has a 4-megapixel sensor below the screen pixels.
The photos sound pitiful, but the purpose of this camera is really for video chat. The company said that it is very suitable for zoom calls and so on. Video conferencing and 4 MP are enough to create a high-definition video.
Flagship Samsung foldable device
But let’s face it, you can definitely say that there is a camera. Samsung claims that the top of the camera hole has “minimum pixels,” They are very obvious when looking directly at the circle.
This is not to completely cover the camera; this is done to make the screen feel like an “undamaged canvas” when using the phone. When you focus on different parts of the screen, the camera disappears below the screen in a way that your fists won’t.
It still seems to require a lot of hard work for the smallest leap, but sometimes Samsung likes flexibility.
In addition, the crease in the middle of the screen is still there. Samsung told me that I barely noticed when the screen was turned on, but it is very similar to the S Pen, which works on the Fold 3’s 7.6-inch main screen, although it is strangely not on the lid screen. The company has developed a special “folding version” of S Pen that covers all the basic functions.
Galaxy Z Fold 2 with S-Pen
S Pen Pro has a stylish toggle switch that can be rotated when using the pen with other Samsung devices. It is also supported by the more expensive S Pen Pro, adding air gestures and some Bluetooth skills (both are separate from Fold 3 sell.)
They obviously use a different frequency from Fold 3. Both compatible S Pens have a “specially designed retractable nib” that can limit the force applied to the Fold 3 screen.
The strength of the screen protector may have increased by 80%, but it is still very sensitive because I pressed the phone very hard, and none of the S Pen left any traces on the screen protector.
But I don’t think this helps determine how Fold 3 can survive for a year or more through note-taking, sketching, PDF editing, etc. Samsung seems determined to help Z Fold 3 take over.
Image courtesy of Marques Brownlee/YouTube