Samsung launches Galaxy Z Fold2

With a 19.3cm main screen, the new foldable device will cost $1,999 and will be available in around 40 markets

Users can also split the main screen of the Galaxy Z Fold2 horizontally or vertically to access up to three apps. Courtesy Samsung

Samsung unveiled its third foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold2, at an online event held at the company's headquarters in Seoul on Tuesday.

With a bigger screen, stronger hinge, long-lasting battery, improved sensors and refined engineering, this bendable device aims to “push the boundaries of mobile experiences”, the company said.

“Our journey towards the next generation of mobile devices is full of originality and innovation,” TM Roh, president and head of mobile communications business at Samsung, said during the event that was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“With the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold2, we closely listened to user feedback to ensure we were bringing meaningful improvements to the hardware, while also developing new innovations,” added Mr Roh.

Samsung is aiming to attract more premium customers with the 5G-enabled, foldable device. It is set to start at $1,999 (Dh7,300) and will be available in around 40 markets on September 18, the South Korean smartphone manufacturer said. However, the price could vary in different markets.

When folded, the phone has a 15.7-centimetre display on which users can check email, look up directions or watch videos.

The screen size extends to 19.3cm when the device is unfolded – which is bigger than many standard tablets in the market – with a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and gameplay. The main screen is also almost 1cm larger than the first foldable phone, which was unveiled in February last year.

Weighing only 282 grams, the Fold2 is powered by a battery of 4,500 milliampere hours that promises enough power to last for almost a day.

It comes with a triple camera set-up on the rear – each a 12 megapixel ultra-wide, wide-angle and telephoto lens – and one 10MP front camera. The new phone offers larger storage capacity – 12GB RAM and 128 to 512GB internal space.

Industry analysts said that Fold2 is a good upgrade from the company, particularly due to its larger screen size.

"They have tremendously increased the screen size on the front of the device ... it's going to be one of the best jumps between two generations (of foldable phones) … it looks phenomenal," Abbas Ali, managing editor of TechRadar Middle East, told The National.

The new foldable phone also features a dual preview that makes the task of clicking images or filming videos easier. In this mode, the cover screen acts like a preview screen, so those being photographed can adjust their pose in real time.

It also comes with the best sound available on a Galaxy device to date, with enhanced stereo effects and clearer sound provided by high-dynamic dual speakers, the company said.

Users can split the main screen horizontally or vertically to access up to three apps at once. They can also open multiple files from the same app at the same time and view them side by side.

Samsung spent about eight years developing the first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold, which was launched in the UAE in October last year after several months of delays when reviewers reported screen problems within days of use.

The company said it sold between 400,000 and 500,000 units of the Galaxy Fold last year. It had a launch price of more than Dh7,200 and an 18.5cm screen that folded into a more compact device.

Following Samsung's launches, rival companies such as Huawei and Lenovo released their own foldable phone models.