Samsung’s long-teased foldable phone was the first to debut at their 10th anniversary event.
You’ll be able to use it while folded: When shut, it’s a tall but chunky device. Open it up, and your apps will automatically switch to a wide 7.3 inch Infinity Flex display. The screen’s big enough that you can use three apps at a time.
The Fold is out April 26th this year, starting at $1,980. Here’s what you need to know.
See the Samsung Galaxy Fold in Action
The best way to understand how the Samsung Galaxy Fold actually works is to see it in use. For now, the best look we can share comes in the form of Samsung’s official unveiling video, below.
The video demonstrates the Fold phone screen spreading out to form a larger tablet-style touchscreen. Feeling impatient? Head to 00:34 on the video below to see it in action:
The video makes the change from phone to tablet, and back again, feel smooth and seamless. If Samsung can pull this metamorphosis off as smoothly when the phone is available for consumers, it’s likely to have a real game-changing piece of tech on its hands.
New Samsung Folding Phone Revealed
The selling point of a folding phone: The screen is the size of a tablet, but folds down into a manageable phone size. You’ll have a usable 4.6 inch display when folded, and a big ol’ 7.3 inch display when unfolded.
Thanks to the larger screen, you’ll have more capability: You can use three apps at a time, thanks to the app continuity software that comes with the Fold. Want to watch a video, text a friend, and browse the internet all at the same time? Well, you’re in luck!
The phone uses two batteries, one on each half, for a total of “a whole lot of power,” as the event explained it. In practical terms, you’ll 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, with a 7nm processor.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Specs
The biggest changes that the Fold brings to the table: A seamlessly foldable screen. Here are the specs:
- 7.3-inch Infinity Flex display
- 512GB storage
- 7nm processor
- 12GB RAM
- Two batteries, one Android operating system
- Available with LTE and 5G versions
- Starts at $1,980
That’s right, the Fold phone comes with a $1,980 price tag, and that’s just what it starts at. It’s a lot of things, but cheap isn’t one of them.
When Will the Samsung Galaxy Fold Be Available?
The Fold will out in stores on April 26th of this year.
Is the Fold actually worth its hefty price tag? All I know is that this is the first time a smartphone brand has said “We’ve redesigned the phone from the ground up” and I’ve actually believed them.
Is Samsung Pioneering the Folding Phone?
This isn’t the first we’ve heard about folding phones (and no, I’m not talking about the clamshell phones of yore). The Royole FlexPai debuted at CES 2019, and is officially the world’s first foldable phone. It’s not that great, however — it’s been called “charmingly awful” — so it’ll be easy for Samsung to blow them away.
Apple has signaled its interest in folding iPhones too, with a recently filed patent. The big takeaway from their approach to folding tech: They might even attempt to develop a device that folds not once, but twice. Of course, since it’s only in the patent stage, it’s about as far away from consumers as its possible to be, and doesn’t tell us anything beyond the fact that Apple is taking folding phones seriously.
Should I Buy a Samsung Fold?
One big question still hangs over the Fold after Samsung’s big reveal: Is it actually as great as Samsung thinks? Or is it a gimmick with little to offer beyond shock value? We’ll need to see some hands-on reviews to know for sure.
Until then, the phone looks like a great purchase for anyone who wants to own the biggest maverick phone out from any major brands today. One thing’s for sure: This is the biggest innovation we’ve seen in smartphones for years.
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