Enterprise Tech Samsung’s Foldable Line Is Ready For Prime Time Maribel Lopez Senior Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I help firms understand AI, mobile and cloud to improve their business Following New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. Got it! Sep 4, 2022, 07:00am EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The Galaxy Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 and S Pen Samssung In some ways, smartphone launches have become predictable. You expect smartphone makers to improve the camera, display and battery life. This is precisely what happened at the latest Samsung Unpacked event. The company gathered insights from its existing customers to create refinements that matter to many customers. To get the complete picture of what was updated, you view the video from Samsung’s unpacked event here . Several of the main enhancements include upgrading the Galaxy Z Fold 4 to a 50MP wide and 30x zoom lens. Nightotography also provides a brightened sensor and enhanced processing power will help users take better pictures in low light. Super-Fast charging now offers up to 50% battery in 30 minutes, just like the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 sports a better camera, a faster chip, and longer battery life. Other items like the aspect ratio are similar and it records 8K video now, but at 24 frames per second. At first glance, these incremental changes and updates appear lackluster. However, it speaks to Samsung’s maturing of the foldable market. It’s Samsung’s fourth generation of the iconic and stylish foldable product line. Durability and price were crucial concerns for the earlier versions of the product. To combat scratches and damage from drops, Samsung added more robust aluminum frames and Corning glass on the outside. Meanwhile, a wider outward-facing cover screen improves the overall usability of the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 now gets a fixed taskbar for accessing your most used apps, which furthers its ability to be a productivity powerhouse. The key takeaway from the launch was that the foldable line is ready for prime time whether you’re a consumer or a business professional. My personal experience The Galaxy Note line was my go-to flagship Samsung smartphone for productivity. Today, it’s the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 feels lighter, which helps with one-hand use and makes it easier to carry in your pocket. Samsung added convenient features such as a taskbar on the bottom of the screen, allowing you to switch between apps quickly, drag apps on top of an open app, and run multiple apps simultaneously. For me, the Galaxy Z Fold continues to blend the best of aspects of a tablet with the portability of a smartphone. MORE FOR YOU The 5 Biggest Technology Trends In 2022 ‘Enthusiastic Entrepreneurs’: Pre-IPO Statements On Profitability Prove To Be Larger Than Real Life The 7 Biggest Artificial Intelligence (AI) Trends In 2022 It has a screen that’s larger enough to edit documents and spreadsheets. It also provides a big screen to view a presentation in a web conference while you take notes in a split screen view. The S-Pen functionality allows you to do fine-grained control in apps, such as Adobe Creative suite, and sign contracts while on the go. I wish the S pen could be carried within the smartphone, but it’s already difficult enough to make it thin and light. The larger screen makes reading a book, playing a game, or shopping online easier. With tablets ranging from $500-$1000, the Z Fold punches above its weight by combining functionality. Samsung DeX is still an underrated and underutilized feature of the Samsung smartphone line. However, one of the best places to use this feature is on the Z Fold. Meanwhile, the Z Flip 4 nails it if you’re looking for a compact, stylish device. I’ve been using the Z Flip 4 in Bora Purple, one of the season's “it” fashion colors. If you don’t like this year’s colors, you can create a unique look by creating a Bespoke edition. Smartphones are an extension of an individual’s personality. The BeSpoke line means Z Flip 4 customers can express their personality beyond third-party cases and lock screen customization. The Z Flip 4 also has a little better hand feel this year. The small pocketable square easily fits in your pocket or the smallest of bags. It opens to reveal a 6. 7-inch screen that gives you all of the functionality of other smartphones. The Flip 4’s camera sensor is supposed to be 65% brighter. I wasn’t certain I could tell the difference but this could be more noticeable if a consumer were upgrading from a device over two years old. I love that the device can sit on the table without needing any extra kickstand case and can take selfies in portrait mode. FlexCam mode worked well for me. Both business owners and consumers are heavy Instagram users. Samsung’s partnership with Meta makes this service easier to use on foldable. The Z Flip can easily be positioned on a table to capture displays or record quick videos for reels or take selfies in portrait mode. Meta worked with Samsung to optimize FlexCam to work on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. It also ships with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, giving it the horsepower to compete with any other modern smartphone. So it’s no surprise that Samsung’s foldable line has gained traction in the past year. In a blog post, Dr. TM Roh, President & Head of MX Business, wrote, “Last year, we saw almost 10 million foldable smartphones shipped worldwide. That’s an industry increase of more than 300% from 2020, and I predict this fast-paced growth will continue. ” My Take It’s difficult for technologists to view a smartphone release enthusiastically when considering the advances as incremental change. However, refinement is precisely what most consumers need to feel comfortable investing in an emerging category such as foldable smartphones. A foldable smartphone demands a price premium, but consumers now see these devices offer functionality beyond what’s available in traditional smartphones. Even though it’s the fourth edition of each phone, I’m still as enamored with the folding and flipping as I was when the Galaxy Fold was first introduced. The phones are more durable with longer-lasting batteries and great cameras. If you’re looking for something different that’s not seen everywhere, either of the foldable smartphones will impress. They’ll set you back a pretty penny, but the combination of style and functionality is worth it. 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