UPDATE 02/09: The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has been officially launched after being teased at the Galaxy Unpacked event last month. The original Galaxy Z Fold flip phone was dogged with complaints about quality, but it seems as if the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has addressed some of these issues.
We already knew that the hinge had been re-engineered, thanks to last months's event. Users are now able to set the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 at a 90º angle so that they can place it on a surface and watch videos. Samsung has also invented a 'sweeper' to help prevent the new 'Hideaway' hinge becoming clogged with dust, which was a common complaint with the original Z Fold.
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The hinge color can be customized in certain markets, with the choice of Metallic Silver, Metallic Gold, Metallic Red and Metallic Blue.
In terms of the specs, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2's outside screen is now a 6.2" 2,260 x 816px Super AMOLED display that covers the entire front with a 25:9 aspect ratio. The main screen inside the unfolded phone has also seen an increase in size – albeit less drastic than the front screen. It's now a 7.6" 2,208 x 1,768px Dynamic AMOLED display with an aspect ratio of 22.5:18 and a refresh rate of 120Hz. The main display also uses Ultra Thin Glass (UTG), which is purported to give improved image quality and a premium user experience.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a triple camera unit on the back of the folded phone. The main camera is a 12MP f/1.8 camera with dual pixel autofocus and optical image stabilization. There's also a 12MP telephoto camera with 2x zoom and a 12MP ultra-wide camera with a 12mm equivalent focal length. There are also two selfie cameras, including a 10MP camera on the front of the folded phone and a second 10MP camera on the right half of the folding main screen inside.
On the inside of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is a Snapdragon 865+ chipset with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It has a 4,500mAh battery and 25W wired charging. It also has support for both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G.
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Pre-orders begin today and will ship in around 40 markets from 18 September, costing $1,999/£1,799/AU$2,999.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The hinge has also been completely re-engineered, with the ability to be placed at a 90º angle so that users can place it on a surface and watch videos.
Samsung has also invented the 'sweeper' to help prevent the hinge being clogged up with dust and dirt, a common complaint that followed the original Z Fold.
Five new and exciting products have been launched at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked virtual event, including the Samsung Galaxy Note 20/ Note 20 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 / S7+, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, the redesigned Galaxy Buds and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2.
With countless leaks and rumors having appeared over the past few months, some may assume that there's little left to discover about the new Samsung Galaxy products – especially the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 family, which has had its full specs leaked within the past couple of weeks. However, now that the virtual event is over, it's clear that Samsung still has some exciting tricks up its sleeve.
Discover more about these exciting products below…
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 / Note 20 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra have been hotly anticipated – and the initial announcement hasn't disappointed. The Note 20 will have a 6.7" display and the Note 20 Ultra will have a 6.9" display, but both will use the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, which is billed as the strongest glass ever used on a smartphone.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 / Note 20 Ultra phablets will also have a new 120Hz refresh rate, which will give users a smoother picture when playing games, watching movies or simply scrolling through an app. This refresh rate combines with a redesigned S Pen stylus to help improve the latency. This means that writing with an S Pen should now be even more responsive with little lagging.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 / Note 20 Ultra will have four cameras, including a 10MP selfie camera on the front and a triple camera unit on the back. This unit will include a 108MP wide angle camera, 12MP ultra-wide angle camera and a 12MP telephoto camera.
Samsung Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Samsung has also announced an exciting collaboration with Xbox with the Xbox Game Pass, which will include 100 games that users can access wherever they are. By pre-ordering the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 you can claim one of two free gifts – the new Samsung Galaxy Buds or the Gaming Pack. This bundle includes a MOGA XP5-X+ Game Controller and a 3 month subscription for the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It also includes a Wireless Charging Stand to make sure you have enough battery to power you through any gaming session.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is Samsung's follow-up to the less-than-warmly received Z Fold flip phone. With the original dogged by complaints about pricing and quality, it'll be interesting to see how the Z Fold 2 will be received.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 comes in two colors, Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black. The body is thinner at 6.0mm and the gap between the screens has been minimized, so that the overall profile of the phone has been decreased when folded. The new Z Fold 2 is billed as the 'most advanced foldable display ever' and carries a 4,500mAh intelligent battery. The front screen has also been extended to be larger, apparently after feedback from users advised that it was used as frequently as the inner folded screens.
The UTG (Ultra Thin Glass) that's used on the phone is thinner than a human hair, but the layers of the glass has been re-engineered to be stronger than the previous generation. The hinge has also been completely re-engineered, with the ability to be placed at a 90º angle so that users can place it on a surface and watch videos.
Samsung has also invented the 'sweeper' to help prevent the hinge being clogged up with dust and dirt, a common complaint that followed the original Z Fold.
More details on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 will be released on 01 September, along with pre-orders opening as well.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 / S7+
The Galaxy Unpacked event has finally made the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 series official. Featuring a display with a 120Hz refresh rate and the new ultra low latency S Pen, the Tab S7 and Tab S7+ look set to impress.
The Tab S7 tablet will have an 11" screen with an LCD screen and 500nit brightness. Meanwhile, the Tab S7+ will measure 12.4" and has a Super AMOLED screen featuring HDR10+ for an even brighter and more impressive screen. With each purchase of either the S7 or S7+, users will enjoy six months free of YouTube Premium.
In terms of processing power, the Tab S7 series will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus chipset, which is designed to run intense games and multitask with ease. This means that the S7 will feature up to 36% faster graphic performance than the Tab S6. It also means that the Tab S7 family will be capable of 5G, allowing users to enjoy fast internet speeds even when they're on the move.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 also packs a powerful 10,090mAh battery, which provides up to 14 hours of video playback on the S7+ and 15 hours on the S7. This battery is also capable of 45W super fast charging as well.
S Pen
An important aspect of both the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 series is the S Pen, which has been completely made over. The new S Pen features ultra low latency, which means that there should theoretically be very little lag between placing the pen to the screen and seeing your markings appear.
This is due to some interesting AI-informed research where Samsung analyzed different writing and drawing samples to be able to make the S Pen more accurately predict what the user will do next. This improved latency will also be affected by the 120Hz screens included on the Note 20 series and Tab S7 series as well.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
Samsung has announced the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 and Watch 3 4G, both of which have a choice between a 45mm or 41mm clock face and a Mystic Black, Mystic Silver or Mystic Bronze finish. The Galaxy Watch 3 has a precision rotating bezel and is thinner and lighter than its predecessor.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 boasts some impressive specs when it comes to monitoring your health. The Watch 3 can record your REM cycles, deep sleep and total sleep time to help you monitor your sleeping habits. Even more impressively, the Watch 3 will apparently have blood oxygen level detection, blood pressure monitoring and an ECG feature.
However, it's worth noting that those last two features will be launching in Korea, but not in the US or worldwide just yet (interestingly, during the Galaxy Unpacked presentation the presenter said that the FDA has given clearance for the blood pressure monitoring and ECG).
Samsung Galaxy Buds
And last, but certainly not least, Samsung also announced the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live – complete with an interesting bean-like shape that will certainly not be the subject of any memes. Coming in three different colors, Mystic White, Mystic Black and Mystic Bronze, the Buds Live are designed to sit comfortably inside the ear for all-day comfort.
It seems that Samsung has focused on noise cancellation for these earbuds, introducing 'Active Noise Cancellation' to help reduce background noise while keeping the important sound clear.
The Buds Live also feature 12mm speakers with sound by AKG with a bass duct to enhance lower frequency sound and air vents to reduce occlusion for spacious audio. The earbuds will also feature three built-in mics and a Voice Pickup Unit to help you make high quality calls. This Voice Pickup Unit will be able to sense when your jaw is moving. As the user's jaw is vibrating, this data will be converted into voice signals to deliver enhanced sound quality.
The Buds Live will deliver up to six hours of non-stop listening and up to 21 hours of life with the charging case.
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