SEOUL: Samsung unveiled two 5G-enabled foldable smartphones under its Galaxy series, including its first model that costs less than $1,000.
The South Korean technology company aims to make foldable technology more popular and attract more customers. The new Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 models come with stronger cases, brighter displays, bigger batteries, artificial intelligence-powered cameras and more user-friendly features, Samsung said.
In the US market, the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 will start from $1,799.90 and $999.90, respectively. However, the prices may slightly vary in other regions.
Both phones come with a new protective film on the main screens that makes them scratch-resistant and about 80 percent more resilient to regular wear and tear than the previous foldable devices, the company said.
The metal frame and hinges of both phones are built with a new aluminium armour material, which makes them 10 per cent stronger than their predecessors.
The new Z Fold 3 comes with a 19.3-centimetre screen that folds into a compact device with a cover display of 15.7cm. It has three 12-megapixel cameras on the rear and one 10-megapixel front camera. Its price is about $200 cheaper than the launch price of Z Fold 2. Weighing 271 grams, it is powered by a 4,400 milliampere-hour battery that promises enough power to last more than a day. It offers larger storage capacity – 12GB RAM and between 256GB and 512GB of internal space.
The new Z Fold 3 phone will also support the S Pen stylus, a signature feature of the company’s premium Note series. However, users need to buy it separately, the company said.
The Z Flip 3 is a compact, palm-sized device when folded but its screen size more than triples to 17cm when opened. Powered by a 3,300mAh battery, it weighs only 183 grams. It comes with 8GB RAM and internal storage options of 128GB and 256GB. It has two cameras of 12-megapixels each on the back and a front 10-megapixel camera.
Besides phones, Samsung also unveiled two new smartwatches – the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic – and Galaxy Buds 2 to compete with Apple’s AirPods and AirPods Pro. Its new smartwatches are one of the first to have the ability to carry out a body composition analysis, providing insights to skeletal muscle, fat mass, body water and more, with only a touch.
They monitor biometrics and provide a detailed analysis of heart rate, stress, sleep patterns and blood-oxygen levels.
