Global smartphone company Samsung has chosen its home country of Korea to reveal its latest range of products, including three tablets, two smartwatches and the fifth generation of its foldable smartphone range.
While two new smartwatches and three new tablets are important products for most tech companies, the Watch 6, Watch 6 Classic and three variants of an all-new Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 are just the entree for Samsung at the Unpacked event in Seoul.
Hosting the world’s media in Korea was intended to demonstrate the importance of innovation to Samsung, offering a glimpse into the enormous resources and efforts the company goes to when creating new products and technologies.
As we move into the fifth generation of Samsung foldable smartphones, plus eight years of development prior to that, there’s no doubt about the innovation that exists in these foldable devices.
This year, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 feature a new “Flex Hinge” which allows the screen to open in a flatter form, but also close without any gap in the device.
While incremental visually, it’s an important step forward for the range considering the impressive products that have been launched in just the last six months from companies such as Oppo and Motorola.
Samsung Australia vice president Garry McGregor told 9News those launches gave confidence the foldable direction was the right one.
“We’re seeing competition coming into this space now, which is fantastic because it’s creating the idea now that actually these devices aren’t going to go away,” he said.
“They’re actually only going to grow in stature. So we we’re excited to see where that will go.”
McGregor was quick to reiterate his own prediction from a year ago when he suggested foldables would outsell the company’s traditional S series smartphones in the future
“I think we are two to three years away from everyone using some form of foldable technology in their, in their screens,” he said.
“Our hands aren’t going to get any bigger, but our demand for how we use technology is only going to grow.
“We want more. We want screens that immerse us.
“So the only way you can do that is through some form of folding or even rolling glass.
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“So let’s see what the future holds. But if you’ve not considered it, I suggest you start to.”
Samsung coined the phrase “pocketability” when talking about its new Flip 5 phone, given its remarkably small size when flipped shut.
This device looks and works like any conventional smartphone, but when not in use, folds shut from top to bottom and fits well in your pocket.
For 2023 the phone shuts flat, has a thinner profile down 2 millimetres when shut, but most importantly features a larger front screen allowing for more apps and interaction with the device when it’s closed.
The larger of the two devices, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, is far more incremental in its upgrades, though likely to be well received by lovers of the device.
The Fold 5 features an aircraft-grade aluminium body for strength, that same new zero-gap hinge and it too is thinner, down 2.4 millimetres, and lighter with a 10-gram saving.
A brighter screen, faster processor and better cooling systems will make it a workhorse too, something Samsung describes as a PC in your pocket.
It’s capable of running multiple apps at a time, and has interaction from the S Pen stylus, which is now thinner and can be stored on an accessory case in a much lower profile, though still disappointingly not within the actual device itself.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will come in four colours — cream, mint, lavender and graphite, while the Fold 5 will be available in phantom black, cream and icy blue.
Pre-orders for all open now at major telcos and retailers, with general availability starting on August 18.
Pricing is a touch higher than last year with the Flip 5 starting at $1649 — though that is with a 256GB storage configuration, same as that price last year — and the Fold 5 is now $100 more starting at $2599.
Trevor Long travelled to Seoul as a guest of Samsung Australia.
