Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
Pretty inconvenient form…
10/08/2023 15:36
So look, foldables are new and exciting and what have you, but they're laced with caveats that - depending on the device - can either be passable or wholly inconvenient.
The Z flip 4 I think is the latter.
The hinge and ability to close it like an old-school flip phone is a nice touch, a bit of nostalgia, but the "flip" side to that is due to the tiny, mostly unusable front screen, it always has to be flipped open to be used.
On form factors that open into a full tablet-like experience this is passable as the front screen can cover off simple tasks and doesn't necessitate unfolding, but the flip needs it. Therefore every interaction, give or take, involves opening the phone, and this isn't easily done one-handed.
On top of this you then get the rest of the foldable foibles. The cameras aren't terrible, but clearly there's not enough space to house units that compare to flagships. The battery is smaller than equivalently sized units that don't flip. Then there's the screen itself, that dents just by looking at it.. if you notice that considering the crease catches your eye constantly.
In a couple of weeks of usage the internal screen, due to the gap when it's closed, has been subject to the elements of my pocket and the plastic screen protector is caked in light, surface scratches you don't get on a glass screen.
It's a performant device, it does everything I want to, I just find this form factor to be absolutely not worth the premium charged for it, especially when considering that this form factor in particular only really boasts of being able to snugly fit in a shirt pocket as it's unique selling point.
I'm optimistic for the future of foldables, but gen 4 of Samsung's still appear to suffer a lot of the early caveats the first foldables arrived with. Hopefully it'll get better as technology advances.
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I was able to trade my flip 4 in for a flip 5 recently, and I'd like to highlight some marked improvements to the experience.
The larger front display is definitely more usable and convenient. It's limited in functionality which is frustrating, still relying on widgets and only permitting whitelisted applications. Unfortunately this makes it not the best implementation I've seen.
The screen now closes flat. No gap! This is great, finally. There is still a crease that's visible, but maybe next year they'll get to that.
Outside of these it's a newer device, so benefits from a bit of a spec bump for the price.
jasonb
Newport , Spojené království
Age: 35
Gender: Female