When the smartwatch came in, did we start calling a Rolex watch ‘dumb’? When the dishwasher entered our lives, did we laugh at the kitchen sink? And when the tablet arrived, did we stop scribbling on paper? Similarly, when the foldable phone appeared on the scene, other smartphones were not rendered obsolete, rather another choice was born.
For a few years, we were told that phones wouldn’t be fun again because we live in the midst of black slabs. But after playing around with the new stars in Samsung’s Galaxy, there’s no doubt that innovation continues to rule and versatility is not a cliched word in the tech world.
By now you must have heard about Samsung Galaxy Z Fold phones or perhaps even seen some people use them at cafes, during commutes and at the office. You may even have heard about how other companies too are making foldable phones. So, what makes the new foldable from Samsung special? It’s about how the best things from traditional smartphones have made their way into the foldable universe while there are enough new software tricks to make the Galaxy Z Fold5 5G the only device you will need for work while travelling.
No room for nitpicking
When it comes to a new iPhone, the same ‘sell your kidney’ joke has been used and for Galaxy Z Fold, it’s that ‘look at the gaping gap’. It stops with Galaxy Z Fold5 5G. The two of the biggest complaints around the Z Fold have been the visible gap when the phone is in its closed or folded state and the crease on the unfolded screen.
Earlier, one side of the phone measured 14.2mm when closed and 15.8 on the other. Now it’s 13.4 on both sides, meaning there is no gap when the phone is folded. At the same time, the hinge mechanism has been refined to the point that it is slim and sexy.
Second, the crease on the display is as good as invisible. View content with any kind of background — bright or black — the crease down the middle won’t catch your eye.
Third, weight is down to 253g. For a foldable phone with a sizeable screen and all the hinge mechanism, this is very light. Compare it with the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which stands at 240g.
On the Galaxy Z Fold4 (left) there is a small gap when the phone is folded shut and that has disappeared completely on the new Galaxy Z Fold5 (right)
All the room for more light
On the one hand, Samsung has addressed the issues that were holding back many users, on the other, it has brought the phone’s camera closer to that of Galaxy S23. Once again, there are three cameras on the back — 50MP main with OIS, 12MP ultra-wide and 10MP telephoto with OIS.Even without the 10X zoom that Galaxy S23 Ultra has become known for, the Z Fold5 can capture the night (and, of course, day) without compromises. If you look at the S23 Ultra, it’s the best Android phone you can buy for night photography. And a lot of the expertise has come to the Galaxy Z Fold5. There is still an under-display camera on the inside and it appears to have improved drastically while on the cover there is a 10MP selfie snapper.
What matters the most
It means applications. The highlight of the phone is undoubtedly what you can do with it. Even till last year, there were a few gaps when it came to software experience. Samsung has greatly evolved features around multi-window, app continuity, optimisation of third-party apps and the taskbar.
The taskbar helps greatly when you want to switch between applications, and that too frequently used apps. Now up to four recent apps are seen on the dock. The two-handed drag and drop also helps while working. Simply touch and hold an image in Samsung Gallery with one finger and use another finger to open the Samsung Notes app to drag-and-drop the image.
Let me give you an example of how easy is it to work with the Fold5. You are on a video call and, at the same time, you want to take down notes.
Another example of software improvement. Typically, there is a single layer of information on the phone screen and if you click on an option in an app, all that was on the previous screen gets hidden. Now applications are adapted for a larger layout, so multiple layers of information can be seen on the unfolded screen. Adaptive experiences for mobile devices can be seen when working on things like Webex, BlueJeans, Wrike, DocuSign and Folia.
Most apps — if not all — you will use on the Fold5 take advantage of the 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display while the 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X outer screen is equally bright and productivity packed. Both come with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.
he cooling chamber on the new Galaxy Z Fold5 (extreme right) is massive (compared to Z Fold4), making it a perfect device for gaming
Pen continues to be mightier….
The S Pen or the stylus continues to be a part of the Fold experience and even though there is no silo on the device to hold it (you can always get a case to hold the same), it has slimmed down a lot.
Powerful experience
It goes without saying that it’s the most powerful Galaxy Z Fold we have ever seen. There is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy enhances graphics and uses AI to enable dynamic gaming and multi-game functionality. If you thought you can’t play heavy-duty games on a foldable, think again. It comes with an advanced cooling system that dissipates heat more intelligently for less lag and no drop in performance.
App scaling in Android can be complicated but Samsung makes it happen seamlessly and better than any company. Having a complete ecosystem of products, Samsung is giving quite a few bits and pieces of tablet design on the foldable, making it geared toward multitasking.
The Galaxy Fold5 feels cohesive to the Samsung ecosystem and is surprisingly good when it comes to functionality. You want to key in that long missive to your colleagues on the move, go ahead. How about bringing out the photographer in you? Do so. Or jump into a video call while on holiday but, at the same time, take notes and use other apps? Of course. I wonder if I should call the Galaxy Z Fold5 a phone or a computer. It’s about an all-in-one experience, like the best things in life.