Four foldable smartphones to look forward to in 2022

Samsung is counting on foldable smartphones to revive its fledgling market share. The South Korean company is aiming to sell over 10 million foldable smartphones this year. 

By 2025, foldable smartphones will account for over half of the premium smartphones sold by the company, said TM Roh, head of Samsung's MX Business in a press conference on the sidelines of the annual Galaxy Unpacked event on August 10, where it launched its fourth generation Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip smartphones. 

Singapore-based market research firm Canalys projected, in a February report, that the global shipment of foldable smartphones to surpass 30 million by 2024 up from 8.9 million in 2021. 

Despite the higher price tag, the foldable smartphone segment grew 148% year-on-year (YoY), according to Canalys. 

Here are some of the latest foldable devices:

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

Unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked event, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 retains the design language of the predecessor with an IPX8 rating (can submerge up to 1 metre)and has a 7.6-inch foldable screen, which is just as big. However, the new device runs on Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, and upgraded cameras which include a 50MP wide-angle sensor and supports Bluetooth 5.2. At 263g, it is slightly lighter than the predecessor. It starts at $1,799.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

Just like its bigger sibling, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 has similar DNA to its predecessor in terms of design and features. It has a similar 6.7-inch foldable screen, that folds vertically, has dual 12MP cameras, and supports IPX68 waterproofing. What sets it apart is the slightly bigger 3700mAh battery and the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. The device is priced at $999.

Xiaomi Mix Fold 2

Unlike Samsung’s foldable devices that are expected to roll out in India, Xiaomi’s foldable are yet to show up in the Indian market. However, that may change as the Chinese company has been pushing the envelope in the premium segment in India with new devices that are priced at over ₹60,000. At 11.2mm when folded, the Mix Fold 2 is a lot thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 4 (15.8mm). It also offers a larger 8.02-inch display and has a Leica-branded camera which includes a 50MP sensor. The device runs on Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and starts at $1,336. 

Oppo Find N

Launched in December 2021, Oppo Find N is another solid alternative to Samsung’s foldable smartphones. It is priced at $1143 and is currently available in China. Its USP is its compact design and water-drop hinge design that widens the angle of the fold in the display, resulting in up to 80% less noticeable crease in the screen as compared to rivals, according to Oppo. The device runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 chipset and offers a 7.1-inch foldable display, uses a 50MP Sony sensor, and supports a 33W fast charge.