At its product launch event on Wednesday, Samsung will once again make the hard sell for foldable phones. It will attempt to show that smartphones can now offer the flexibility to flip and fold without compromising on performance or functionality.
Samsung is expected to announce its next-gen Flip 4 phone – which opens like a clamshell, a design reminiscent of early 2000s flip phones – as well as the Z Fold 4, which opens outward like a book to form a tablet.
The devices will likely get camera upgrades, a new hinge and a slimmer body, as well as a longer-lasting battery. The Flip’s cover is rumored to have an improved interface, allowing easier access to notifications, widget control and wallet functionality, without needing to open the phone.
After an inauspicious start with its Galaxy Fold phone in 2019, Samsung has continued to push the concept of foldable smartphones, often at very high prices. But Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, told CNN Business that Samsung’s foldable efforts remain “an epic disappointment” for the company.
“It’s been a surge of success on the foldable concept – design, pricing, and consumer preferences and habits make Flip and Fold a very niche segment of the Samsung base,” he said.
