Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 suddenly sounds much more appealing

Samsung's incoming new Android foldable phone flagship just got tipped for a key upgrade

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Android foldable phone
(Image credit: Samsung)

If you've been considering making a jump from one of the best Android phones to one of the best foldable phones this year, like I have, then the incoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 looks like it could be the catalyst.

That's because Samsung Galaxy's leakster-in-chief, Ice universe, who has an excellent track record of accurately leaking information about future Galaxy handsets, has just dropped a very exciting piece of information about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, and it could be the choice maker for many Android phone users.

Writing on Twitter, Ice says that:

"If you are a dual user of S and Fold, when you touch the Fold4, you may throw away your S22 Ultra, TSMC's 4nm Snapdragon 8+, low heat and power saving, although not as good as the previous Snapdragon 835, But much better than Snapdragon 8."

What Ice is saying is that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 foldable phone is going to come loaded with the new 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor and, crucially, that chip will deliver better efficiency and lower heat output when compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which is one of two chips that powers Samsung's current technical flagship, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

The other chip that powers the Galaxy S22 Ultra in certain territories is the South Korean firm's own Exynos 2200 chip. However, just like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 this chip, while an improvement in terms of power, efficiency and heat generation from previous chips, was still comfortably beaten by Apple's A-series Bionic chips, despite those Apple chips being released before the Snapdragon/Exynos chips.

Even taking Apple out of the picture, though, many Android phone enthusiasts felt that the benchmark scores delivered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Exynos 2200 chips weren't up to snuff for 'flagship' processors, and that is why - at least on paper - the fact that the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 is now tipped not to come powered by them, but by an improved Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, is good news.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 in use on a wooden table

(Image credit: Samsung)

Bullish words from Samsung's top tipster

So, what's our take here at T3? Well, the fact that Ice universe has gone as far to say that users of the best Samsung phone right now "may throw away your S22 Ultra" once they "touch the Fold4" seems to indicate to us that the efficiency and heat improvements delivered in the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip in the incoming foldable are going to be very impressive.

Efficiency really is a key factor at this point behind many smartphone purchases. We've got to a stage where most phones are more than capable of comfortably running any app or game you throw at them, and their camera systems, screens and speakers have got to a stage where they'll all deliver a solid at worst experience. But where all phones certainly aren't equal is in terms of efficiency – and that directly leads to battery life.

I'm an Android phone user and I want my handset to be able to comfortable last all day (ideally I'd like 48 hours of usage on a single charge), and I want this efficiency despite my handset also delivering things like a 5G data connection. The last thing I want to be doing is crippling my phone's abilities just to get it through the day.

So the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 suddenly sounds a lot more appealing to me, and I am sure it will do to other Android phone users, too. Could this be the use all day (or more) foldable phone we've been waiting for? Here's hoping Ice's bullish comments ring true.

We're expecting the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 along with the Flip 4 foldable phones to be unveiled at the next Samsung Unpacked event, which traditionally is held in August.

To find the latest offers from Samsung, check our Samsung discount codes page. 

Robert Jones

Rob has been writing about computing, gaming, mobile, home entertainment technology, toys (specifically Lego and board games), smart home and more for over 15 years. As the editor of PC Gamer, and former Deputy Editor for T3.com, you can find Rob's work in magazines, bookazines and online, as well as on podcasts and videos, too. Outside of his work Rob is passionate about motorbikes, skiing/snowboarding and team sports, with football and cricket his two favourites.