[Mike Mercury]

Samsung commits to 5G and foldables as the future

https://www.theverge.com/21357158/sa...blems-strategy



Samsung’s first look at the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 2 during its Unpacked event seemed to spend more time focusing on how the new model fixes the flaws of the original rather than emphasizing whatever will make the foldable flagship great. In putting so much effort into convincing customers that this time it got things right, Samsung revealed just how badly it needs foldable phones to work.

The original launch had to be delayed for months after multiple review units (including The Verge’s) outright failed. And even when the $1,980 smartphone did launch after a reinforcing redesign, it was with plentiful warnings about handling the delicate plastic display gently, with Samsung advising customers to avoid even tapping the screen too hard. The phone also was still at risk from debris, which could make its way inside the hinges and damage the screen from the back.

That’s all before getting into the actual issues with the Fold’s functionality as a phone: the original Fold featured a tiny 4.6-inch external display that made it uncomfortable to use as a regular smartphone. There was a giant notch that took up an entire corner of the display.

The good news is that Samsung is promising to address nearly every single one of these issues on the Galaxy Z Fold 2, to the point where it took the time from its Unpacked event to call out the various reviewers who had cited these issues, to show off the fixes it’s made.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 also promises to be a better phone. The outside screen is now a full-size 6.2-inch panel.



The display is no longer a dangerously easy-to-break sheet of plastic but the same ultra-thin glass technology that Samsung debuted with the Galaxy Z Flip earlier this year, which promises more durability. Although for protection, the glass component here is still covered with a plastic cover, which can pick up nicks. Despite this upgrade, it’s still much more fragile than the hardened Gorilla Glass most of us are used to on regular smartphones.

Samsung has also redesigned the hinge in the Z Fold 2. It’s able to stay in place at a wider range of angles, allowing it to be propped up on a desk.



It employs stronger force to keep the phone open when its unfolded, and it features additional springs to allow for a smoother opening experience. Samsung’s also using a similar “sweeper” technology that it debuted with the Z Flip to brush out any dust or dirt. The new system actually makes several improvements on the Z Flip’s method to account for the even smaller hinge, with shorter fibers and adjustments to the elasticity of the brushes to ensure that everything works the same despite the smaller size.

here is the The Z-Folds little brother, the Z-Flip