Samsung has launched two new foldable smartphones as it attempts to bring the premium devices to the mainstream for the first time.
The firm says the Fold3 and Flip3 are more durable and accessible thanks to hardware and software updates combined with a price cut on previous versions.
So, how do the latest foldables look?
– Galaxy Z Flip3
The smaller of the two new folding phones, the Flip3 is a nod to the flip-open, clamshell mobile phones that were first popular in the late 1990s.
It actually houses two displays – this latest version has a larger cover screen of 1.9 inches, four times the size of the previous Flip, and has been made touch interactive for the first time, allowing users to check and respond to notifications without needing to fully open up the device.
Opened up, the Flip3 has the same 6.7-inch screen size as before, but crucially now supports a 120Hz refresh rate, meaning scrolling social media and gaming are significantly smoother.
In terms of improved durability, both the Flip3 and the Fold3 have been built using Armour Aluminium, which Samsung says is the strongest ever used on a smartphone.
Both devices use Corning Gorilla Glass Victus to protect against scratches and drops, and a new protective film on the screen means the main screen on the Flip3 and the Fold3 is 80% more durable.
In addition, for the first time, both foldables are IPX8 water-resistant, which is also a first for folding phones.
As for cameras, the Flip3 has dual 12-megapixel cameras on the rear and a 10-megapixel front-facing lens.
The Galaxy Z Flip3 starts at £949 – down from the £1,229 of the last Flip – and will go on sale on August 27.
– Galaxy Z Fold3
Samsung has stuck with the same screen sizes as previous Folds for the new Fold3, but there are a number of key updates around those displays designed to draw in users.
Firstly, the Fold3 is the first folding phone to come with an under-display camera on its main 7.6-inch display. This means that the pin-hole for the camera lens disappears from view when not in use and users are watching videos.
The new Fold3 is also lighter than the previous models, despite also housing the stronger aluminium and Gorilla Glass as on the Flip3, as well as the additional protective film on its main screen.
The cover screen is another of those to also support 120Hz refresh rates.
Arguably the most interesting update to the Fold is that it now supports Samsung’s S Pen stylus for the first time.
The stylus, which is traditionally found with the Galaxy Note “phablet” range, can be used to navigate the Fold3 as well as for sketching, drawing and note-taking on the new foldable.
Unlike the Note, however, the Fold3 does not have internal storage space for the S Pen, but Samsung has created a range of cases to hold the stylus as one alternative for users.
Crucially, the Fold3 has also seen its price drop despite these and a range of other updates, and will now start at £1,599 – £200 less than the previous Fold generation.
Like the Flip3, the Fold3 will go on sale on August 27.
