I don't tend to "ooh" over the best Android phones, because to my eyes they all look much the same – with the exception of the Nothing (1) Phone, they all seem to be made from the same basic template. But I'm definitely lusting after Samsung's best foldable phones, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 – and the latest "leaked" images only make me lust a bit more.
I've put "leaked" in quote marks because these are quite evidently press shots to my eye; and I think it's pretty clear that someone at Samsung is quite delighted by the attention these phones are getting in advance of their 10 August launch. The idea that these images leaking out is something Samsung is cross about amuses me. But, regardless, it's still interesting to see the new images surface by serial leakster Evan Blass on 91mobiles (opens in new tab), which provide tantalising glimpses of the new folding phones' colour options and basic design.
The colour and the shape
I need to declare a bias here: I love folding phones. I'm an iPhone 13 user today and while it's the best phone for me, it doesn't have that wonderful tactility that my ancient Motorola Razr did back in the pre-iPhone era: snapping your phone shut is such a great way to rage-quit a call. So the prospect of a folding phone with today's cutting-edge tech in it is enormously exciting to me.
The press shots don't give much away about the new Samsungs, but if you look at the ones for the Z Flip 4 you can see two key things: the new colours, which are dark grey, purple, gold and pale blue, and what appears to be a significantly slimmer case. That's great because while the existing Flip is pocket-friendly, it's still pretty thick when you close it. Even a minor difference would put less strain on your pocket.
The shots of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 are considerably less revealing, which suggest it's probably still as porky as Percy Pig. But if you squint you can make out this year's colour options,. which are black, a beige-y gold and a greyish green. I suspect that the emphasis here is going to be on performance rather than looks, as the Flip appears to have the edge in this category.
I know I won't buy either of these phones, because my family is too invested in the Apple ecosystem. But as a genuine phone fan I'm excited by these new models, and I'm hoping Apple is paying attention.
