Samsung is currently the biggest player in the rapidly growing foldable smartphone market. According to a report from market tracker Display Supply Chain Consultants, it was the dominant foldable brand last year, with a 91.5% share on a unit basis. Out of the estimated 2.2 million foldables sold in 2020, Samsung’s Z Flip was number one with nearly a 50% share. Here’s a roundup of all the new products Samsung revealed during the Galaxy Unpacked 2021 event.
Z Fold 3 5G
Samsung says it’s making “key improvements” foldable fans have been asking for in its third-generation devices. Both the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 are lighter and more durable than their predecessors. Both come with IPX84 water resistance, Samsung’s new Armor Aluminum casing, and Gorilla Glass Victus. The biggest new addition to the Z Fold 3 is support for the S Pen, which is something we’ve only seen on the Note series up to this point. Samsung is promising a fully optimized experience and is offering the S Pen for Z Fold 3 in two options: S Pen Fold Edition and S Pen Pro. Both come with a retractable tip that helps protect your device’s screen while you’re jotting down notes or composing emails. The Z Fold 3 features a 7.6-inch Infinity Flex Display with an increased viewable area that’s 29% brighter than the Z Fold 2, according to Samsung. It also consumes less energy, thanks to new Eco display technology, and it has a 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate on both the main and cover screens. Bulkiness was an issue for many critics of the Z Fold models. Samsung is promising a thinner, lighter, more pocketable design for its third-generation device. It weighs 271g, compared to the Z Fold 2’s 282g. The Z Fold 3 also comes with a 2.84 GHz octa-core processor, 12GB of RAM, 256GB or 512GB internal storage, a 4,400mAh battery, three 12MP rear cameras, fast wireless charging, and more. It comes in three colors—phantom black, phantom green, and phantom silver—and costs $1,799.
Z Flip 3 5G
Samsung seems to be marketing its new Z Flip 3 to people who like customizing their smartphones. It comes in a total of seven colors. Cream, green, lavender, and phantom black are widely available, while three additional colors—white, gray, and pink—are available exclusively via Samsung’s official website. Z Flip 3 users also can buy new stylish ring grips and strap cases for their device. The Z Flip 3 features a cover screen that’s four times larger than the original Z Flip and has Samsung Pay built in. Users even can snap quick photos or take videos right from the cover screen by double-clicking the power key. Other notable new features include upgraded stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, a 6.7-inch Infinity Flex Display with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, a 2.84 GHz octa-core processor, 8GB of RAM, a 3,300 mAh battery, and fast wireless charging. It costs $999.
Galaxy Buds 2
Samsung’s latest version of the Galaxy Buds includes active noise cancellation, three adjustable ambient sound levels, and better call quality thanks to machine learning technology that can filter out background noises. Samsung claims they’re the smallest and lightest wireless earbuds yet, and they come in four colors—graphite, white, olive, and lavender. Most importantly, they cost $150, making them cheaper than both the Galaxy Buds Live and Galaxy Buds Pro, and cheaper than competitors like the AirPods Pro and the Google Pixel Buds.
Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
The Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic are the first smartwatches to feature the new version of Wear OS. The company has been collaborating with Google on the new operating system, which promises better battery life and performance, and it can potentially unify the fragmented Android wearable market under one platform. The Galaxy Watch 4 boasts a smaller and more compact design. Its 3-in-1 BioActive Sensor can track blood pressure, detect irregular heartbeats, measure blood oxygen levels and, for the first time ever, calculate body composition. It comes with a variety of wellness features, like guided workouts, group challenges, sleep scores, and compatibility with certain Samsung Smart TVs. The Galaxy Watch 4 also comes with a 5nm processor, 16GB of storage, a 450 x 450 pixel display, up to 40 hours of battery life, and fast charging that can provide up to 10 hours after 30 minutes. The Bluetooth version starts at $250, while the LTE model starts at $300. The 40mm size comes in black, silver, and pink gold, while the 44mm size comes in black, silver, and green. All of the devices unveiled Wednesday are available for pre-order now and officially launch on August 27. Both Verizon and AT&T have several deals on the new products; be sure to check out the respective websites for details.
