At their much-anticipated Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung took wraps off the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G. This latest Fold keeps the form factor of the original Fold but brings a few welcome tweaks and upgrades into the mix. The new Galaxy Watch series, featuring the Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic, was also unveiled at the event.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
Durability has never been a strong suit of the Fold series. But Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 is here to change that. The third iteration of the Fold is rated IPX8 for water resistance. The cover display is protected with Gorilla Glass Victus — the toughest there is. Also, the frame is made of a strong metal that Samsung calls ‘Armor Aluminum.’
At 271g, the weight of the Galaxy Z Fold3 is also 10g lighter. The device inherits the dimensions of the Galaxy Z Fold2. It’s the width of roughly two devices stacked on top of each other when folded. The primary display still measures 7.6”, but the hole-punch is gone and replaced with Samsung’s first under-display camera. On the back, we find a 6.2” cover screen.
The main screen is uninterrupted Flex AMOLED, delivering a QXGA+ resolution and refreshing at 120Hz. Samsung has also doubled the refresh rate on the cover display from 60Hz to 120Hz. It makes for a smoother transition when you switch between the two screens.
The camera system remains more or less the same on the Z Fold3. It’s an array of 12MP ultrawide, 12MP OIS-assisted wide, and 12MP dual OIS telephoto cameras with 2x zoom.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 is compatible with two S pens — S Pen Fold Edition and S Pen Pro. The Fold edition works exclusively with the Z Fold3, but the Pro model supports both the Fold3 and the Galaxy S series. The stylus lets you take full advantage of the tablet-sized display. But the device lacks a dedicated housing for the S pen. It’s supposed to be bought as an addon with a case.
Under the hood, a 5nm flagship chip and a 4400 mAh battery power the Galaxy Z Fold3. You get 12GB of memory and 256GB/512GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The UI on top of the Android 11 OS is tweaked to match the foldable form factor. Apps designed for the folding screen and a brand-new taskbar make for a more immersive user experience.
The Z Fold3 is available for pre-order in Pakistan now. The exact retail price for the local market is not revealed yet but considering the international price of $1,799 USD the handset could cost anywhere between Rs. 300,000 to 350,000 (inclusive of all taxes.) Set to join the Samsung price list soon, The brand is throwing in an e-voucher worth Rs. 32,000 with every purchase.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
The Galaxy Watch 4 is offered in base and Classic editions. Samsung is returning to Google’s Wear OS for these latest wearables. One UI runs on top of the WearOS for a modern, consistent user experience. The big highlight this year is the host of new health-focused features introduced with the Watch4 series.
BioActive, an array of three sensors, monitors heart rate, ECG, blood pressure, blood oxygen, and even body composition. Among other data points, the Galaxy Watch4 can detect your muscle and fat percentage to recommend workouts.
The Watch 4 Classic has a rotating bezel, but the standard Watch4 only features a touch bezel. Two side-facing buttons serve navigation purposes. Exynos W920, built on a 5nm process, powers the series. They also support LTE and 16GB of internal storage.
Both editions come in two sizes. The Watch 4 starts from $249 (~ Rs. 40,700,) while the Watch 4 Classic is priced at $349 (~ Rs. 57,000.) You have to pay extra for LTE connectivity.