The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the latest – and potentially the best – flagship foldable phone to hit the market. Samsung has adopted a more compact hinge, a wider cover screen, and a tougher main screen, making iterative, but significant improvements over the Galaxy Z Fold 3. While that main screen is tougher, it’s still bound by the laws of physics, and a display that folds is naturally more fragile. That’s why the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 comes with a screen protector pre-applied, and if you’re thinking about removing it, you shouldn’t.
The main display on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is made of what Samsung calls ultra-thin glass (UTG), but despite its name, this material doesn’t have the same properties as glass. Mainly the rigidity (so it can fold) and durability aren’t the same. The pre-applied screen protector is integral to keeping the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 display in working condition, so you shouldn’t remove it during the setup process. With the original Galaxy Fold back in 2019, many reviewers broke their devices doing this, so Samsung specifically warns against it now.
However, with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 series onwards, some users have found that they accidentally peeled off the screen protector or that it began peeling off on its own. In this case, ideally, you’ll want to go to a Samsung support center and have the screen protector replaced with another official recommended one. This should be covered by warranty if it comes off by itself. Some users have also found that the screen itself still works fine when the screen protector is removed accidentally, but that’s a big potential risk to take.
This all applies only to the main screen, the one that folds inside the phone. This foldable material is particularly fragile, which is also why Samsung has special S Pen models for the Z Fold family, which retract their tip when too much force is applied to avoid damaging the screen.
With the cover display, you don’t have to worry about this. While it also comes with a screen protector out of the box for your convenience, you can remove it if you want to, and apply your own. Some may prefer using a glass screen protector to protect the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 from harder drops, but that’s up to you. If protection is what you want, it’s also a good idea to check out the best cases for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4.
If you’re looking to buy the phone itself, you can do so using the link below, or check out the best deals on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 to see some other options. Also, keep in mind the phone doesn’t come with a power adapter, so you may want to take a look at the best chargers for it, too.
Google announced its new Google Wallet app during Google I/O 2022. While the company previously had a wallet app, the new iteration had a mission. Google was intent on replacing your physical wallet with its digital one. This meant being able to take any and all kinds of cards, coupons, and tickets and load them into Google Wallet. Well, according to Mishaal Rahman of Esper, we might be getting one step closer to that reality as TSA approval could be on the way.
According to data unearthed by Rahman in the Google Play Services version 22.31.12 update, it looks like things might get a little more convenient when flying. The new data found in the update indicates that digital IDs stored in Google Wallet will be TSA compliant. That means you’ll be able to breeze through checkpoints simply by showing them your ID, but there are some stipulations, with the main one being you must be part of the TSA PreCheck program.
The TSA PreCheck program allows pre-screened and low-risk travelers to pass through checkpoints much faster. While it is convenient, it does require submitting an application, being approved, and then going to a physical location for confirmation. This program is not available at all airports. Furthermore, the perk is generally only supported in airports within the United States. Once you leave the country, TSA PreCheck won’t be of much help, which means the Google Wallet digital ID also won’t matter.
In the past, the acceptance of digital forms of identification has been mixed. But according to the TSA website, the firm has been testing digital IDs at certain TSA PreCheck checkpoints. Although digital IDs have been accepted, the organization recommends having a physical ID with you, just in case. What makes digital IDs tricky is there currently aren’t any universal standards in place despite some programs being backed by the government. So while it might be convenient, there will most likely always be an issue until this is solved. Regardless, for Google, this is a step in the right direction.
It’s finally here! After months of leaks and rumors, Samsung lifted the covers off its latest flagship foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 4, at a Galaxy Unpacked event today. As with previous Galaxy Z Fold devices, the latest model brings iterative improvements from the Galaxy Z Fold 3 from last year, including a slightly updated design, improved internals, a flagship-grade primary camera, and more.
Samsung has made some minor design adjustments on the Galaxy Z Fold 4, which should give it a more ergonomic feel in your hands. The device sports a slimmer hinge and narrower bezels, it weighs a bit less than its predecessor, and it has a wider cover display that should improve one-handed use when folded. Along with the design, Samsung has made some noteworthy changes to the internal hardware, which should result in better performance, enhanced power efficiency, and improved imaging capabilities. Check out the table below for a quick rundown of the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s specifications.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: Specifications
Specification
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Build
Armor Aluminum Frame
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
IPX8 water resistance
Dimensions & Weight
Folded: 67.1 x 155.1 x 14.2- 15.8mm
Unfolded: 130.1 x 155.1 x 6.3mm
263g
Display
Cover:
6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X
2316 x 904p resolution
120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate (48-120Hz)
Main:
7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X
2176 x 1812p resolution
120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate (1-120Hz)
SoC
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1
RAM & Storage
12GB RAM + 256GB storage
12GB + 512GB
12GB + 1TB
Battery & Charging
4,400mAh
25W Wired fast charging (up to 50% in 30 minutes)
Wireless charging support
Wireless PowerShare
Security
Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Rear Camera(s)
Primary: 50MP f/1.8, Dual Pixel AF, OIS, 1.0µm pixel size (4x higher resolution than Galaxy Z Fold 3)
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 packs Qualcomm’s new and improved Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, which will offer a significant performance bump over the Snapdragon 888 on last year’s model. Thanks to the new chipset, the foldable should also outperform all Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 flagships launched so far. In addition, it should also offer better battery backup than most Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 flagships, as the newer chip is up to 30% more power efficient.
Along with better performance and improved battery life, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 offers better imaging capabilities thanks to its new 50MP f/1.8 primary camera and 3x optical zoom/30x Space Zoom 10MP f/2.4 telephoto camera. Samsung has also built in some new camera features to help users make the most of the foldable form factor, like Capture View Mode, Dual Preview, and Rear Cam Selfie.
Since the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is an iterative upgrade, the rest of the hardware remains unchanged. The device still packs a 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X cover screen, although it’s slightly wider this time around. On the inside, it features the same 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X foldable display. Both displays offer a peak refresh rate of 120Hz and Adaptive Refresh Rate support. However, the cover screen offers a 48-120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate, while the main display comes with 1-120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate support.
For connectivity, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 offers 5G support, 4G LTE, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, and NFC. The device features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a 10MP selfie shooter on the cover screen, and a 4MP selfie shooter hidden beneath the main display. Like last year’s model, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 also features S Pen support on the main foldable display, but it doesn’t come with a compatible S Pen in the box.
Although Samsung has only made a few changes on the hardware front, the software on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 brings quite a few noteworthy improvements. The device runs One UI 4.1.1 based on Android 12L out of the box, which includes some new features to help users make the most of the phone’s unique form factor. These include a new Taskbar that offers a layout similar to your PC, offering instant access to your favorite and recent apps, better multitasking capabilities, and new shortcuts to quickly open apps in a pop-up window or split-screen mode.
In addition, the new software release comes with drag-and-drop support for Google apps, like Chrome and Gmail, which will let you copy and paste links, photos, and more from one app to another. Microsoft’s Office suite has also been optimized for the foldable form factor to give users a tablet-like experience with more information available on the screen, a side-by-side view for efficient multitasking, and S Pen support. For media apps like Netflix, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has a new Flex Mode Touchpad feature, which gives you access to playback controls on the bottom screen while you enjoy content in Flex Mode.
Pricing & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 will go on sale in the U.S. starting August 26. It will be available in three storage configurations, with the base 12GB+256GB model priced at $1,799.99. We’ll update this post with the pricing details for the 12GB+512GB and 12GB+1TB variants as soon as it becomes available. All three configurations of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will be available in Graygreen, Phantom Black, and Beige colorways. In addition, Samsung will offer an additional Burgundy colorway exclusively through its online store.
Those in a hurry can pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold 4 by clicking the link provided above. If you pre-order the flagship foldable before August 26, you’ll receive a complimentary memory upgrade, up to $1,000 off with an eligible trade-in, a free Standing Cover with Pen case, and $100 in Samsung store credit.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 was the best-selling foldable last year, and for some good reasons. Samsung offered quite a few noteworthy improvements on the device over its predecessor, including a larger cover screen, durable construction, Qualcomm’s flagship SoC from last year, and more. Samsung has taken a similar approach with the new Galaxy Z Flip 4, but it’s more of an incremental update over last year’s model. However, the new model addresses some glaring issues users faced with the Galaxy Z Flip 3, like its abysmal battery life and slow charging speed.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: Specifications
Specification
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
Build
Armor Aluminum Frame
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
IPX8 water resistance
Dimensions & Weight
Folded: 71.9 x 84.9 x 15.9-17.1mm
Unfolded: 71.9 x 165.2 x 6.9mm
187g
Display
Cover:
1.9-inch Super AMOLED
260 x 512p resolution
Main:
6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X
2640 x 1080p resolution
120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate (1-120Hz)
SoC
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1
RAM & Storage
8GB RAM + 128GB storage
8GB + 256GB
8GB + 512GB
Battery & Charging
3,700mAh
25W Wired fast charging (up to 50% charge in 30 minutes)
Wireless charging support
Wireless PowerShare
Security
Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Audio
Dual stereo speakers
Rear Camera(s)
Primary: 12MP f/1.8, OIS, Dual Pixel AF, 1.8µm pixel size (0.4µm bigger than Z Flip 3)
The all-new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 looks virtually identical at first glance, but that’s because it hides most of the noteworthy changes on the inside. First and foremost, the phone packs Qualcomm’s latest flagship Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip. The SoC offers a significant performance upgrade over the Snapdragon 888 on the Flip 3, and as we saw in our benchmark run of the chip, it also cuts down on peak power usage compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. As such, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 should offer better performance and increased battery life than the Galaxy Z Flip 4. But we’ll reserve our judgment for our in-depth review of the device.
Speaking of improved battery life, Samsung has also packed a larger 3,700mAh battery on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. This, coupled with the more power-efficient chip, leaves no doubt that the newer model will outlast the Galaxy Z Flip 3 in daily use. Charging the Galaxy Z Flip 4 should also be a better experience, as the device comes with 25W wired fast charging support. Samsung claims you can get up to 50% charge in just 30 minutes using a compatible 25W adapter.
Along with these significant changes, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 also sports a slimmer hinge and Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection on the outer surface. It also packs a slightly better 12MP primary camera with a larger 1.8µm pixel size. The rest of the hardware remains unchanged, and the device still sports a 1.9-inch Super AMOLED cover display, a 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display that refreshes at 120Hz and offers adaptive refresh rate support, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a USB Type-C port, stereo speakers, and IPX8 certification for water resistance.
Although there aren’t many hardware improvements this year, Samsung has improved the software experience on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The device runs One UI 4.1.1 based on Android 12 out of the box, and it comes with a new FlexCam feature that lets you shoot hands-free video or capture full group selfies at various angles by partially folding the device. FlexCam is optimized for third-party apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook, making it a handy addition for most users. Furthermore, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 comes with a new SmartThings Scene widget for the cover screen, the ability to unlock your car, new clock designs and backgrounds, and more.
Pricing & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 will go on sale in the U.S. starting August 26. Like last year’s model, the base variant of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage will set you back $999.99. The device will also be available in 8GB + 256GB and 8GB + 512GB configurations, but we don’t have the pricing details for these variants at the moment. We’ll update this post with more information as soon as it’s available.
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 will be available in four standard colorways — Graphite, Bora Purple, Pink Gold, and Blue. Samsung will also offer a host of Bespoke Edition customizations on its website, allowing users to pick from five additional front/back panel color options and three hinge and frame finishes. These include Butter Yellow/Bespoke Yellow, Brick Red, Khaki Green, Navy, and White options for the front and back panel, and Black, Silver, and Gold options for the hinge and frame.
If you can’t wait to get yourself a Galaxy Z Flip 4, you’d be glad to know that pre-orders for the device open today. Those who pre-order a device before August 26 will receive a complimentary memory upgrade to double the storage, up to $900 off with eligible trade-in, and a Silicone Ring Case or Strap Case.
OnePlus faced a torrent of backlash for dropping the ball on the software front by merging its software codebase with Oppo’s ColorOS. The subsequent software releases were littered with bugs, and even the stable update — that hit many OnePlus devices including the OnePlus 9 series — felt like an afterthought with many inconsistencies. Soon after that, the company decided to walk back on some of the changes, indicating that OxygenOS 13 will right the wrong that had been done, and will go back to what OxygenOS UI used to be in the past. Well, the update that’s supposed to deliver a “familiar OxygenOS experience” is finally here as a part of the company’s Open Beta initiative. That’s right, I’ve sideloaded the OxygenOS 13 Open Beta based on Android 13 on a OnePlus 10 Pro, and here are some of the first things I’ve noticed:
OxygenOS 13 new features and redesigns
Here are some of the new features and redesigned UI elements you can expect to see on OxygenOS 13:
New Material You colors
Google’s new and improved color palette can now be seen running in full effect on the OxygenOS 13 build. There are a lot more colors for the system to choose from and these are dynamically generated by your wallpaper. OxygenOS 13 will now give you an option to allow the phone to automatically pick the colors based on the wallpaper you set. Notice how the quick setting icons change their colors based on the wallpaper being used in the screenshots above? This is also true for apps that support Material You, so they’ll change their colors based on the theme you’re currently running on your phone. Google’s new and improved Material You is one of my favorite features as it offers a consistent look and feels across the phone’s UI.
A lot of Oppo features and design elements take center-stage
This is probably not a surprise but the OxygenOS 13 turns the spotlight towards a lot of Oppo features. These are the ones that you may have typically seen on Oppo phones in the past. I recently reviewed the Oppo Reno 8 Pro, so I could instantly recognize these features. I am pointing at things like O-Haptics, Omoji, etc. OxygenOS puts a lot of these features on the front and center to make sure you’re not missing out on them. You can see an instance of this on the Settings app below:
Omoji
Omoji, as the name suggests, is similar to Apple’s Memoji. You can create your very own Omoji and use it the same way you’d use Apple’s Memojis. In Oppo’s defense, it works very well and I can see a lot of people actually using this. I personally like Oppo’s O-Haptics feature better than this, so more on that below.
O-Haptics
O-Haptics will improve your experience of using the device with great haptic feedback. This is already a part of OxygenOS 12, but you get an additional setting that lets you set how the touches feel. OxugenOS 13 has been tweaked to make you feel the haptics in more places across the UI now, and it feels nice and reassuring to get feedback from the phone. Scrolling all the to the top or the bottom inside the OnePlus Shelf, for instance, now triggers haptic feedback, something which is not currently available on the OnePlus 10T running OxygenOS 12.
Oppo’s Kids space, smart sidebar, and Simple mode
Also mentioned in the changelog are some new modes like the Kids space. You can find it along with a couple of other modes within the Special Features option inside Settings (Settings > Special Features). These are new to OxygenOS 13, but they’re already available on ColorOS 12.1.
Aquamorphic design
OxygenOS 13 is switching to what OnePlus calls the “Aquamorphic design”. The overall aesthetics of the UI has drastically changed compared to OxygenOS 12. A lot of applications, the settings page, menus, etc. look a lot different. Simply put, it looks a lot like ColorOS now. Here’s the clock app as seen on OxygenOS 12, OxygenOS 13, and ColorOS 12.1 side-by-side. I’ve also added a screenshot of the quick setting below that to show how the quick setting icons on OxygenOS 13 look like the ones on ColorOS 12. You’re bound to see a lot of similarities between the two software, so you’re probably not going to like it if you are not a fan of the way ColorOS looks.
Quick settings icons:
Changes to Notifications
If you can look past the huge quick settings panel that takes almost half of the notification shade, you’ll see that OxygenOS 13 has tweaked notifications a bit compared to the previous version. The notification cards from different apps are now separated with some space in between, and there’s also a huge ‘X’ button at the bottom to clear them instead of a ‘Clear all’ button as seen on OxygenOS 12.
OnePlus Shelf
OnePlus Shelf largely remains the same on OxygenOS 13, and yes, it still opens as a standalone app instead of just an overlay. The ‘Never Settle’ slogan on the top has been replaced by the calendar events, and there’s no Search bar either.
Enlarged folder view
You also get some thoughtful additions with OxygenOS 13, like the enlarged folder view that lets you open an app in an enlarged folder with just one tap instead of having to enter the folder itself.
Enlarged folder vs regular folder in OxygenOS 13
More options to customize the Always-On display on OxygenOS 13
If you are somebody that needs more customizing options to tweak the Always-On display on your phone, then the OxygenOS 13 has some nifty tools for you. In addition to adding your Omoji to the always-on display, you can also use some new features including ‘Custom Patterns’ and ‘Text & image’ options to truly customize the AOD. The ‘Canvas’ option to map the silhouette of any image of your choice is still here. I was able to play with this feature briefly and it did work as intended. OxygenOS 12, in case you’re wondering, only has the ‘Canvas’ and some preset options to customize AOD.
Changes to the Screenshot editing tool
OxygenOS 13 adds more markup tools for screenshot editing. Notably, you also get a pixelation feature for chat screenshots with which the system can identify and automatically pixelate profile pictures and display names in a chat screenshot to protect your privacy. These features are missing from the previous software and the phone didn’t let me grab a screenshot within this page on the OnePlus 10T running the stable OxygenOS 12.
OxygenOS 13 Open Beta Hands-On: Still ColorOS in all but the name
While OnePlus noted that it’ll walk back on some of the changes introduced with ColorOS, the OxygenOS 13 still uses ColorOS as the foundation. The new software is seasoned with a lot of ColorOS features, many of which you may or may not like depending on your preference. Oppo’s ColorOS has evolved a lot over the years and it continues to remain one of the best Android skins on the market, in my opinion. So the fact that OxygenOS 13 builds up on it to add more features is an exciting proposition.
However, it’s not the “familiar OxygenOS experience ” OnePlus promised us a few months back. It’s not the clean and light UI with radical changes that you were expecting it to be, which I am a little disappointed about. The ColorOS – OxygenOS merger is still very much in effect and there’s probably no going back to the OxygenOS experience that propelled OnePlus into the mainstream. OnePlus’ OxygenOS is really just ColorOS with a different name now.
OnePlus' OxygenOS is really just ColorOS with a different name now
Is that a bad thing? Well, yes if you don’t like what ColorOS brings to the table. But, like me, if you don’t mind using ColorOS for all its features, then there’s plenty to look forward to. This version of OxygenOS 13, of course, isn’t the final build and there’s a lot of room for OnePlus to improve and bring changes to differentiate its software from Oppo’s ColorOS before it starts rolling out. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for future builds to see if anything changes.
In the meantime, you can try the OxygenOS 13 on your OnePlus 10 Pro by sideloading the update. You can head over to our OxygenOS 13 download page to check out the official changelog and get links to download the update for your device. It goes without saying that you may encounter some bugs in this beta release, and some third-party apps may not work as intended.
Well, those were some of the new features and changes I was able to spot during my brief time with the OxygenOS 13 beta build. I’ll be using this new software extensively over the next few days to see if I can find more changes. I’d like to mention that a lot of new OxygenOS 13 features mentioned at the launch, including the Spotify integration with AOD, and India-specific Swiggy/Zomato integration with AOD are still missing. I expect these features to arrive in future builds as they’re a part of what OnePlus has promised to ship with its new software.
Now that you’ve got a taste of OxygenOS 13, we’d like to know what you think about the software. Let us know your thoughts on the OxygenOS 13 build and the changes it brings to the table by dropping a line in the comments below.
