Hands-On With Samsung's New $1,800 Galaxy Z Fold 3

[lk400]

Have you actually used it? Nobody talks about crease once they use it because you won’t really notice it. Stop hating.

Definitely notice it, especially in a bright room. If you are the kind of person who can get used to things, you would stop noticing it after a couple of weeks. If you are the type of person who cant not focus on things when you know its there, you would never stop noticing it. Its a design / tech limitation for an otherwise awesome device. But to pretend that nobody will notice it or be bothered by it every day is disingenuous.

Best way to think of it is like this - if you ever had a noticeable scratch on a screen for a phone / tablet / laptop? Did it bother you every day (until you fixed it) or did you just forget it after a while?

 

[Abazigal]

Wake me up when Apple does this.
I’m saying that, it’s taking Samsung to wake up Apple.

You will likely be snoozing for a while then.

I don’t see Apple making a folding phone, because their eggs are in the wearables basket. So it’s going to come down to folding phones vs wearables (Apple Watch, apple glasses), and we will see who ends up making the right bet moving forward.

 

[iSayuSay]

That crease!
Elephant in the room that never gets mentioned even though it is it's fatal flaw

If it folds, it creases. Just like your elbows or knees. It’s just natural so we won’t see it going away.

 

[whatgift]

Here is a list of phone gimmicks innovated by Samsung and then adopted (or soon to be adopted) by Apple:
* OLED
* high resolution large screens
* NFC
* multi camera design
* super zoom
* wireless charging
* waterproofing
* foldable devices
* multiwindow UI
* pen support

These are essential characteristics of the modern smart phone. Just imagine what iPhone would look like if Apple were not following Samsung in phone design.

I don’t think Samsung could claim any of those as their invention, just like Apple couldn’t claim most of theirs.

It’s not really appropriate to call most of that list as either innovations or gimmicks - they are mostly obvious spec improvements, and have clear utility for users.

I think all mobile companies have contributed to the great functionality we see in phones today, and reducing the argument to claims of “who did it first” seems kinda childish.

 

[SuperCachetes]

Did you miss the part where the phone can unfold into a tablet? It wasn't mentioned much in the article, so it may have slipped by you.

$1,800 is way too much for a tablet.

 

[whatgift]

Another great product from Samsung, showing the great market we have for smartphones these days.

While I’d say it’s a niche market for such a device, it represents the progress being made in various technologies, and we can only hope that Apple takes note of some of these, especially when it comes to the software features.

 

[theorist9]

I think foldables will come into their own when phones get much thinner. Right now foldables are designed to allow a much bigger display in a device that, when folded, is phone-sized.

But imagine going in the other direction: A foldable that, when opened, is the size of a current regular iPhone and that, when folded, is half the size (length & width) but not much thicker. That makes it easily pocketable, which will be a huge convenience for many. [It will probably be designed so that it wouldn't need to be unfolded for making and answering calls.]

 

[ian87w]

Foldable phones are the future. Glad Samsung is doing this so apple can order the foldable OLED modules in 2025

Apple has been using foldable OLED for a while, since the iPhone X. The difference is the application. While Samsung put the folding part as the main feature, Apple used it as part of making the screens of the iPhone X onwards edge to edge. Notice how most Android phones have a chin. It's for the display controller, etc. Apple managed to avoid this on the iPhone X onwards by folding the OLED panel on the sides.

 

[SuperCachetes]

If it folds, it creases. Just like your elbows or knees. It’s just natural so we won’t see it going away.

You're not wrong. But I have never once in 5 decades tried to write legibly or accurately drag a pointing device across the back of my knee or the crook of my elbow.

Luckily electronics technology is advancing far more quickly than human evolution.

 

[Eorlas]

Biggest flop is how narrow it is in „phone“ mode, what a weird aspect ratio oh and that it costs more than an iPhone and an iPad combined

sure, if one were to take the cheap-er tier models and pair them.

 

[Maconplasma]

I don’t think Samsung could claim any of those as their invention, just like Apple couldn’t claim most of theirs.

It’s not really appropriate to call most of that list as either innovations or gimmicks - they are mostly obvious spec improvements, and have clear utility for users.

I think all mobile companies have contributed to the great functionality we see in phones today, and reducing the argument to claims of “who did it first” seems kinda childish.

Excellent points from start to end. Don't waste your breath with logic and facts. It's comical how some here can dish out the criticism towards Apple but take things personally when Samsung is receiving deserved criticism. Strange how some are greatly defending Samsung. A huge corporation that doesn't care one iota about them. 😊

 

[azentropy]

The problem with these hybrid devices is they aren’t great or even very good at either thing. I’d rather have a great phone and a great tablet than a so-so hybrid device.

 

[Analog Kid]

Apple has been using foldable OLED for a while, since the iPhone X. The difference is the application. While Samsung put the folding part as the main feature, Apple used it as part of making the screens of the iPhone X onwards edge to edge. Notice how most Android phones have a chin. It's for the display controller, etc. Apple managed to avoid this on the iPhone X onwards by folding the OLED panel on the sides.

Didn't Apple Watch do this before iPhone X? Or is the watch simply curved while the phone is wrapped around the sides?

 

[Klae17]

I legit will buy the iPhone version immediately. Been waiting for an iPad mini to replace my 12 pro max, I will get this instead!!

 

[ddtmm]

So there’s Apple’s new price to beat. $1,800. I’m guessing the iPhone 14 will max out at about $1,999 or $2,099.

 

[Xenden]

Beautiful, beautiful piece of tech. Those saying foldable phones are trash, you wont buy them etc - wait until you see Apple release one and talk again

It reminds me of the launch of the iPad. People didn’t understand the product, called it a “Big iPhone.”

There is not killer app, there is no must have feature. I will say, playing with the demo at Best Buy, swaping between the front screen and the main screen is a magical. I reminds me of the first time playing with the iPhone (thought the iPhone was another level of magic).

Samsung hasn’t done a great job of explaining why this is a better product than the S21 Ultra.

The S21 has better cameras, better battery life, and a clear message for why you should by that phone.

Though I will admit that the S21 has 12 iterations, so of course it will seem well created. This is only the 3rd version of the fold, 2nd version of the flip, so Samsung has plenty of time ahead to fine tune.

$1,800 for a phone is way too much for me.

I don’t much like complaints about expensive technology (not saying that this comment applies to you, but I’ve seen people argue that all new tech should be priced for the masses). There is always going to be bleeding edge tech that not everyone can afford, but even if they can’t afford it, they benefit from it.

It brings the new tech to the people that can afford it, but in the coming years, that tech trickles down to the mid range and budget phones. True tone, laminated screens, touch/face id, promotion, Apple Pencil, etc. All those features started on the high end, end up on the entry level. That is because the people who can’t afford them, benefit from better yield rates as the technology matures. I’m not opposed to a company saying “look, this is the best version of a phon we can make, but it’s priced 2.5x more than our normal flaghsip price. We know we’ll sell fewer units than we’d like, but here it is for those who want and can afford it.”

Anyone remember the $100k flat screens that only basketball players owned?

 

[Ixon2001]

A Samsung rep brought in Work both the Flip 3 & Fold 3 the other day & i gotta say I'm impressed with both tbh, the crease in the middle of the screen isn’t as noticeable as i thought it would be, also the rep said these aren't Samsung Flagship phones yet and shouldn't be classed as such as compromises were made to keep the cost down.

But he reckons in the next 3 to 4 years these foldables will start to replace both Samsung S series & even some of the A series smartphones.

 

[RedRage]

I love people acting like they don’t like it because it’s not Apple. The same people didn’t need a Plus size phone years ago but rushed to buy the iPhone 6 Plus 😆😆😆😆

 

[4jasontv]

I used to be a Samesucks hater to the core, but they are definitely growing on me.

They have to grow on us because they are a fungus.

 

[xpaulso]

It reminds me of the launch of the iPad. People didn’t understand the product, called it a “Big iPhone.”

There is not killer app, there is no must have feature. I will say, playing with the demo at Best Buy, swaping between the front screen and the main screen is a magical. I reminds me of the first time playing with the iPhone (thought the iPhone was another level of magic).

Samsung hasn’t done a great job of explaining why this is a better product than the S21 Ultra.

The S21 has better cameras, better battery life, and a clear message for why you should by that phone.

Though I will admit that the S21 has 12 iterations, so of course it will seem well created. This is only the 3rd version of the fold, 2nd version of the flip, so Samsung has plenty of time ahead to fine tune.







I don’t much like complaints about expensive technology (not saying that this comment applies to you, but I’ve seen people argue that all new tech should be priced for the masses). There is always going to be bleeding edge tech that not everyone can afford, but even if they can’t afford it, they benefit from it.

It brings the new tech to the people that can afford it, but in the coming years, that tech trickles down to the mid range and budget phones. True tone, laminated screens, touch/face id, promotion, Apple Pencil, etc. All those features started on the high end, end up on the entry level. That is because the people who can’t afford them, benefit from better yield rates as the technology matures. I’m not opposed to a company saying “look, this is the best version of a phon we can make, but it’s priced 2.5x more than our normal flaghsip price. We know we’ll sell fewer units than we’d like, but here it is for those who want and can afford it.”

Anyone remember the $100k flat screens that only basketball players owned?

I also remember 3D TVs. Some technologies never work outside a small niche of enthusiasts. It's likely foldable screen based devices will stick around, but will most likely continue to be a niche. Most people couldn't care less about new phone tech. The better camera is the number one feature people look for when upgrading.

 

[Serban55]

t reminds me of the launch of the iPad. People didn’t understand the product, called it a “Big iPhone.”

and that was true...the first ipads generations were some how big iphones...but with time now they are some different piece of tech with proper apps with a somehow limited OS..but since the apps make the OS nowadays ...
Also, the first apple watch was an "what is this for.." device..and now its a "can save your life thing"
So, foldable are here because Samsung started this trend with big displays with Note 1..and now the phones are so big that we have to fold them
Zip3 is a true purpose foldable that transforms your normal smartphone into a friendly pock-able device that doesnt ruin your suit lines entirely
The fold 3 is just a mess or to show off into the public what you do with it since the display is bigger than bigger..everyone around you , see what you are doing...so on that privacy and intimacy are 0

 

[rxp]

I've been completely uninterested in phones since the s10. Been toying with the idea of moving to an iPhone for my next phone but I'm just never excited anymore at the features. Pace of innovation is slowing & I'm happy enough with the s10. Headphones/watches have been more of interest - but even those are slowing. I've sorted my diet out so blood glucose, which isn't going to be a thing on watches anyway, is of no interest anymore.

The foldable phones are the only thing that has peaked my interest. So my next phone might not be an iPhone - for the price the iPhones that won't fold will seem expensive relative to a folding Samsung in future years. I wish they'd fold into a 16:9 aspect ratio though, for media consumption. I too carry around a phone/tablet when travelling, but a single device is way easier.

 

[lah]

saw one at my local store the other day and I liked it, it feels very high quality. Unfortunately the crease is very noticeable and felt distracting to me. You probably get used to it eventually like the notch. Also, I found the software laggy, kills the experience IMO.
But all in all, Samsung did a good job. The flip one is also pretty damn cool.

 

[FattiesGoneWild]

Starting at $1799.99 ha ha HA! Lost their damn minds and very niche. Enough so and with the high prices. It was enough to come out with this I guess. You know tech has hit a dead end when they go back to (foldable) instead of forward with something else.

 

[QCassidy352]

Is the crease the new notch? It seems so obvious in pictures, but I imagine once you use it and get used to it, it "disappears." I'm far to embedded in the Apple ecosystem to even consider one of these, but it's definitely an intriguing piece of tech.

This argument has always utterly puzzled me. The notch never “disappears” (I notice it literally every time I look at my screen and can’t see a battery %), and I can’t imagine a crease would either. You learn to live with it, sure, but it’s always noticeable.