Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has debuted at the Galaxy Unpacked 2020 Part 2 virtual event. The new foldable phone is the third in the series that started with the Galaxy Fold last year. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 comes with a series of upgrades over the Galaxy Fold as well as Galaxy Z Flip that was launched earlier this year.
The smartphone features a bigger, flexible display that folds into two. It also comes with an Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) protection. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 also offers triple rear cameras and includes wireless charging support. There is also Wireless PowerShare to let you charge your wireless charging-supported devices with the latest foldable phone.
"With the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 2, we closely listened to user feedback to ensure we were bringing meaningful improvements to the hardware, while also developing new innovations to enhance the user experience," said Samsung Mobile chief Dr. TM Roh in a statement. "Further strengthened by our industry-leading partnerships with Google and Microsoft, we're reshaping and redefining the possibilities of the mobile device experience.
The Samsung Z Fold 2 offers the most upgrades we’ve ever seen from one phone generation to the next — and for $2,000 it needs them all. As impressive as the original Galaxy Fold was — remember, it was the first truly viable foldable phone — Samsung's phone had lots of flaws, from questionable durability and a tiny front display to no 5G and a big notch.
Samsung has addressed all of these issues with the Z Fold 2 while adding other welcome upgrades, including better multitasking and an innovative Flex mode that helps you get more out of this foldable. The Galaxy Z Fold 2’s cameras are not as advanced as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra’s, and you don’t get an S Pen, but overall the Galaxy Z Fold 2 does a much better job this time around of justifying Samsung's very high asking price.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Key Specs
- Display (Primary)
- 7.60-inch
- Processor
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+
- Front Camera
- 10-megapixel + 10-megapixel
- Rear Camera
- 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel
- RAM
- 12GB
- Storage
- 256GB
- Battery Capacity
- 4500mAh
- OS
- Android 10
- Resolution
- 1768x2208 pixels
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 runs on Android 10 with One UI 2.5 on top and features a 7.6-inch full-HD+ (1,768x2,208 pixels) foldable, Dynamic AMOLED Infinity-O Display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 22.5:18 aspect ratio. There is also a 6.2-inch Super AMOLED Infinity Flex Display with 816x2,260 pixels resolution and a 25:9 aspect ratio on the cover.
Under the hood, the phone has an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ SoC, coupled with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. You'll also get 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage that isn't expandable via microSD card.
For photos and videos, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 comes with the triple rear camera setup that houses a 12-megapixel sensor with an f/1.8 lens — along with optical image stabilization (OIS) support. The camera setup also includes a 12-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle lens and a 12-megapixel sensor with an f/2.4 telephoto lens. It supports 4K video recording as well as slow-motion videos at 960fps.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 also comes with 10-megapixel selfie camera sensors on both the cover screens as well as the main display with an f/2.2 lens. There are also preloaded features including Auto Scene Optimisation, Bixby Vision, Group Selfie, HDR10+ Video, Live Focus, and Panorama.
Connectivity options on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, UWB (Ultra Wide Band), and a USB Type-C port. Sensors onboard include an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, barometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, proximity sensor, and an RGB sensor. There is also a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. Further, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 includes stereo speakers by AKG along with Dolby Atmos' support.
To avoid the issues that initially impacted the Galaxy Fold, Samsung claims that it has re-engineered the hinge on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 with a dedicated “sweeper” to help clean dust and debris out using elastic fibers. There is also UTG protection over a plastic covering available on last year's model. Additionally, the new smartphone has a CAM Mechanism that lets you open it up at multiple angles, similar to the Galaxy Z Flip.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 packs a 4,500mAh battery that supports fast charging, wireless charging, and Wireless PowerShare. Besides, the phone measures 159.2x128.2x6.9mm and weigh 279 grams.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Features
Bigger displays: The Galaxy Z Fold 2 features a larger cover and main displays, measuring 6.2 inches and 7.6 inches, respectively. More durable design: The main display now uses Ultra-Thin Glass, and the hideaway hinge uses sweeper technology to keep away debris. The front cover uses Gorilla Glass Victus. Flex mode adds versatility:
A cam mechanism allows you to open the Z Fold 2 at various angles and enjoy new Flex mode software experiences that make the most of the phone's large canvas. Better multitasking: Multitasking is improved with Multi-Active Window, letting you quickly create app pairs to launch instantly; and it's easier to re-arrange open apps in different layouts.
Beefier specs and battery: A faster Snapdragon 865 Plus processor, 5G connectivity, and a larger 4,500 mAh battery are among the biggest spec upgrades. The new camera features: The triple 12MP rear cameras are not as advanced as Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, but features like Auto Framing can help keep subjects in the frame and Dual Preview lets subjects see themselves as you're shooting.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Design
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 immediately makes a better impression than the Galaxy Fold because of its larger exterior display. You no longer feel like you're operating Android through a peephole, and that's because the cover screen has grown from 4.6 inches to 6.2 inches. The interior display is also bigger at 7.6 inches for the Galaxy Z Fold 2, compared to 7.3 inches for the previous model. Even better, the ugly notch on the main screen is gone, replaced by a small cutout for a selfie camera.
Samsung also made several enhancements fo the Galaxy Z Fold 2 to improve durability and usability. This includes a sturdier new Ultra-Thin Glass display, which is designed to provide a better touchscreen feel than the plastic screen Fold, and a Hideaway hinge that uses sweeper technology to prevent dust and dirt from entering the phone.
Similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, the Galaxy Z Fold 2's hinge uses a CAM mechanism that allows you to position the screen in multiple positions. And while there's still a gap between the two sides of the phone when closed, it's narrower than before.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 comes in two colors: Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black. But you'll be able to add some flair in the form of four hinge color options if you order through Samsung.com. Options include Metallic Silver, Metallic Gold, Metallic Red, and Metallic Blue.
Measuring 6.2 x 2.6 x 0.66 inches when closed and 6.2 x 5 x 0.27 inches when open, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is slightly shorter but wider than its predecessor. It's also heavier, as the Z Fold 2 weights 9.9 ounces, compared to 9.48 ounces for the original model.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Display
In addition to a larger size, the 7.6-inch main display on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 boasts a 120Hz refresh rate, so you should enjoy smooth scrolling and overall performance compared to the 60Hz rate on the Galaxy Fold. Plus, because the panel is adaptive, it's smart enough to dial the rate down or up based on the content on screen.
The cover display on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 does not offer a 120Hz refresh rate, but it's still a heck of a lot better than what the first Fold featured. Measuring 6.2 inches, this OLED screen is big enough to perform pretty much any task, and you can still instantly resume what you were doing on the main display when you unfold the device.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Cameras
It's a bit strange to say this, but the $2,000 Galaxy Z Fold 2 represents a step down from the $1,300 Galaxy Note 20 when it comes to the cameras. You don't get a 108MP main sensor, a 5x optical zoom, or a 50x Space Zoom, but you do get three capable shooters you can use in a variety of ways.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 features a 12MP main wide-angle camera, a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera with a 123-degree field of view, and a 12MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom.
The fun really starts with the camera features that are unique to the Galaxy Z Fold 2. For example, Dual Preview lets subjects see how they're going to look using the front display while you're taking the shot. You can also take higher quality selfies with the rear cameras.
Thanks to Flex Mode, you can prop up the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in what looks like laptop mode and it will keep your subject in focus using a feature called Auto framing. Another perk is Capture View mode, which lets you review up to 5 recent pictures on the bottom half of the screen while maintaining the live preview in the top half.
Galaxy Z Fold 2 Multitasking
One of the complaints we had about the Galaxy Fold is that many of the apps just felt like blow-up phone apps in tablet mode. But Samsung is addressing this drawback with the Galaxy Z Fold 2.
For example, Microsoft Office takes advantage of the larger aspect ratio and provides a toolbar with access to deeper features. Samsung also promises an optimized viewing experience in Gmail, YouTube, and Spotify on the foldable.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2's Flex mode gives this foldable phone a lot of versatility. The idea is that you can have controls or settings on one side of the display and content on the other for maximum productivity.
Samsung says that Flex mode is supported by several Samsung apps, including Camera, Video call, Gallery, Video player, Clock, and Calendar. And Google is supporting Flex mode with YouTube and Google Duo. Samsung is working with third-party developers as well to create Flex mode optimized apps.
Another key Galaxy Z Fold 2 upgrade is multi-tasking. With the improved Multi-Active Window feature, you can open up to three apps at the same time and can quickly create presets called App Pairs that you launch with just a tap. You can also drag and drop content from one window to another, such as images from your gallery. Multiple Samsung apps support Drag and Drop, as does Microsoft 365, Gmail, Chrome and Google Maps
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Performance
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 sports a Snapdragon 865 Plus processor along with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage (UFS3.1). So we would expect a similar performance to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
In terms of 5G, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 supports both mmWave and sub-6GHz flavors, so you should have no problems tapping into 5G networks where there is coverage. Because the Z Fold 2 also supports Ultra Wide Band technology, you can leverage Samsung's Nearby Share features to quickly share files with other compatible devices, which thus far only includes the Note 20 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Battery
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 packs a 4,500 mAh battery, which should be able to get you through most of the day. The Galaxy Fold had a slightly smaller 4,380 mAh, so this is a step up. The Z Fold 2 supports 25W fast charging, as well as fast wireless charging and PowerShare reverse charging.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Price
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 price in India and sale details are yet to be announced; however, the phone will retail at $1,999 (roughly Rs. 1,48,300) in the US. According to Samsung, the phone will be offered in Mystic Black and Mystic Bronze color options starting September 18. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 will be sold in 40 markets around the world, including the US and South Korea. The pre-orders for the phone kick off later today in select markets.
Alongside the regular option, Samsung has launched the Galaxy Z Fold 2 Thom Browne Edition that will be available starting September 25 in select countries. Same as regular Galaxy Z Fold 2, the Thom Browne edition also goes up for pre-orders later today. Each Thom Browne Edition package will include the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy Watch 3, Galaxy Buds Live, and a number of fully customized accessories all featuring elements of Thom Browne's signature design. There is no word on the price of this special edition right now.
Samsung initially showcased the Galaxy Z Fold 2 at the time of announcing the Galaxy Note 20 series last month. At that time, the company didn't reveal its pricing and availability details, though it put the phone on reservations for its US customers.
To make the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 purchase more enticing, Samsung will allow customers to customize the foldable phone in four hinge colors - Metallic Silver, Metallic Red, Metallic Blue, and Metallic Gold. The company will offer an online tool via Samsung.com to provide this customization and it will be limited to 21 markets that don't include India.
Finally, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 smartphone was launched on 1st September 2020. The phone comes with a 7.60-inch touchscreen primary display with a resolution of 1768x2208 pixels. It also features a 6.20-inch touchscreen as its second display, with a resolution of 816x2260 pixels.
Samsung Z Fold 2 is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ processor that features 1 core clocked at 3.09GHz, 3 cores clocked at 2.4GHz, and 4 cores clocked at 1.8GHz. It comes with 12GB of RAM. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 runs Android 10 and is powered by a 4500mAh battery. The Z Fold 2 supports wireless charging, as well as proprietary fast charging.
As far as the cameras are concerned, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 on the rear packs a 12-megapixel primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture and a pixel size of 1.8-micron; a second 12-megapixel camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a pixel size of 1.12-micron and a third 12-megapixel camera with an f/2.4 aperture. The rear camera setup has autofocus.
On the front, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 packs a 10-megapixel primary camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a pixel size of 1.22-micron and a second 10-megapixel camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a pixel size of 1.22-micron.
The Z Fold 2 runs One UI 2.5 based on Android 10 and packs 256GB of inbuilt storage. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 measures 159.20 x 128.20 x 6.90mm (height x width x thickness) and weighs 279.00 grams. It was launched in Mystic Black and Mystic Bronze colors.
Connectivity options on the Samsung Z Fold 2 include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/Yes, GPS, Bluetooth v5.00, and USB Type-C. Sensors on the phone include accelerometer, ambient light sensor, barometer, compass/ magnetometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and fingerprint sensor. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 supports face unlock.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Full Specifications
General
Brand | Samsung |
Model | Galaxy Z Fold 2 |
Release date | 1st September 2020 |
Launched in India | No |
Form factor | Foldable |
Dimensions (mm) | 159.20 x 128.20 x 6.90 |
Weight (g) | 279.00 |
Battery capacity (mAh) | 4500 |
Fast charging | Proprietary |
Wireless charging | Yes |
Colours | Mystic Black, Mystic Bronze |
Display
Screen size (inches) | 7.60 |
Touchscreen | Yes |
Resolution | 1768x2208 pixels |
Second display
Screen size (inches) | 6.20 |
Touchscreen | Yes |
Resolution | 816x2260 pixels |
Hardware
Processor | octa-core (1x3.09GHz + 3x2.4GHz + 4x1.8GHz) |
Processor make | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ |
RAM | 12GB |
Internal storage | 256GB |
Expandable storage | No |
Camera
Rear camera | 12-megapixel (f/1.8, 1.8-micron) + 12-megapixel (f/2.2, 1.12-micron) + 12-megapixel (f/2.4) |
Rear autofocus |
