Plus the new Watch 5 series and Buds 2 Pro

Samsung's new lineup of folding phones, smartwatches, and earbuds are now official here at the company's unpacked event. (Metaphorically "here," anyway, as this is an online event.) The new $1,800 Galaxy Z Fold 4 and $1,000 Flip 4 retain their end-of-the-alphabet branding in at least some markets, contrary to prior rumors, with an updated TSMC-made Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and other modernizations. The $280 Galaxy Watch 5 and $450 Watch 5 Pro are also getting new premium materials, like a sapphire crystal. And the new $230 Buds 2 Pro have active noise cancellation and support for the upcoming Bluetooth LE Audio standard.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 incrementally improves on its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 3, with an updated chipset (the new TSMC-made version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1), which should run a little cooler and eke out better battery life than the prior Samsung-manufactured version used in phones like the S22 series. All models come with 12GB of RAM, but you can pay more to upgrade up from 256GB of base storage to a maximum of 1TB.

The form factor is about the same, offering a tablet-like display with an internal 120Hz folding OLED screen that opens up with a visible crease down the middle. Samsung has updated the aspect ratio to provide a slightly wider experience, which could be handy. There's still an in-display camera peeking out through the very pixels of the screen itself, but Samsung has been able to cram in a higher pixel density and adjusted the sub-pixel arrangement, making it easier to blend in when not in use. The 120Hz OLED cover display is also slightly wider and has lost the metal frame accent to the left side.

The new camera in the Fold 4 may have an impressive megapixel count, but it's sure to be binned down to a more realistic number. However, the extra pixels and surface area should mean increased low-light performance compared to last year's Z Fold 3. Samsung also says the telephoto camera should see improved performance over last year's model, though I'm most curious to see how the new in-display camera fares with the increased pixel density. Last year's Z Fold 3 took very soft, heavily processed photos with that camera, and even marginal lighting demonstrated issues, so I'm hoping to see an improvement.

Physically, the new model resembles last year's. There's a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, up- and down-firing stereo speakers, and a slightly smaller plastic bezel surrounding the folding display. Samsung has swapped a matte-finish aluminum frame for a more glossy polished one. As before, there's S Pen support if you would like to poke at the screen, and Samsung says this new version of the folding display has some strength improvements. It's also still IPX8 rated, which means it's water-resistant like a normal phone but not dust-proof.

On the software side, the Z Fold 4 ships with Android 12L — that's the big-screen specific Android 12.1 update and includes features like taskbar support. Samsung says the feature will make multitasking even easier with a desktop OS-like paradigm.

Prices start at $1,800, with the phone available in four colors: Graygreen (a gray-ish green/blue), Phantom Black (black), Beige (a gold and cream combination, my favorite), and Burgundy (presumably red, a Samsung store exclusive I didn't get to see). Pre-orders get double the storage, up to $1,000 off on trade-in, and a standing Cover with Pen case, plus $100 in Samsung Credit.

For more thoughts, be sure to check out our hands-on of the Z Fold 4 ahead of our full review, expected in the coming weeks.

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As subtle as some improvements in the Z Fold 4 were over last year's Galaxy Z Flip 3, the new Z Flip 4 takes an even more mild approach. There are a few advances, like the change in chipset to the newer and definitely better Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, a bump in battery capacity, and a slightly larger primary camera. But most of the other details are identical, with the same 6.7" display size, similar-sounding display technology, a nearly identical design, the same RAM and storage sizes, etc.

If you missed the last two models, the Z Flip 4 is a clamshell-style foldable — the "hamburger" fold to the Z Fold 4's "hot dog." This means you get a more traditional phone form factor when unfolded compared to a tablet-style experience. The limited space also means the exterior-facing display is smaller and doesn't give you a full smartphone experience — just a shortcut to notifications, some controls, and a camera viewfinder for selfies.

In addition to the 8+ Gen 1, you get 8GB of RAM and a base 128GB of storage, which you can pay extra to upgrade. The 3,700mAh battery is a little larger than last year's and, paired with the updated chipset, may stretch out battery life a little. Many considered longevity to be a pain point for the Z Flip 3. It's also still IPX8 rated for water but not dust protection. There's still no support for Wi-Fi 6E, which strikes me as odd, given how many other phones support the technology now across different price points, as well as the fact that Wi-Fi 7 is just around the corner.

Samsung doesn't include "Android 12L" here, though the OneUI version is the same. This really just means that the big-screen features here aren't enabled, but it's very likely the same base version of Android 12.1/12L that customers are getting.

The new Z Flip 4 hits the same $1,000 price tag as last year's model. Some may have been hoping for more hardware improvements, like a bigger cover display, but a phone is more than the sum of its parts, and we'll have to see how the experience bears out in our full review. In the meantime, you can read my hands-on with the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Pre-orders get double storage between August 10th and 25th. Samsung is also offering up to $900 with trade-in, plus a free case.

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The new Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro still have the W920 chipset used by the prior Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic, but there are some other upgrades, like a sapphire crystal on all models, which should significantly increase durability. Battery capacities have also been bumped across the board, and the same sensors are present as in last year's model, so it can track your heart rate, ECG, blood oxygen, and estimate your body composition. There's a new temperature sensor, too, which can take readings of your skin using infrared light. Mix in activity tracking, sleep tracking, etc., and you get the picture — it does the health and fitness things.

On top of that, you've got Watch OS 3.5 and OneUI Watch 4.5. That's the latest version of Google's wearable software with Samsung's special sauce on top — presumably the same as the Watch 4 series recently acquired in beta. That means you can download apps, manage notifications, play with watch faces, control music, and enjoy new Google Maps navigation.

For more details, check out Stephen Schenck's Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro hands-on.

There are a lot of models, with the Watch 5 available in a 40 and 44mm size and the Watch 5 Pro, all available in both Bluetooth and LTE-equipped versions that increase the price — Samsung didn't provide us with every combination, but you should expect to pay around $50 more for the feature. And if the pre-set color combos don't appeal, Samsung's bespoke edition can configure 1,032 different combinations of the new series. The Watch 5 starts at $280, and the Watch 5 Pro starts at $450. Availability is set for August 26th. There's also a snazzy "Golf" version with a striped band that looks rad and starts at $330.

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The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are 15% smaller than the prior Galaxy Buds Pro were, which might let them fit better (or, at least, more lightly) in more ears. As before, you've got active noise cancellation, and Samsung is touting 24-bit audio and support for its new SSC codec. You've got a two-way woofer and tweeter on each unit — technically smaller in both cases compared to the prior model, but the difference may not be huge. It supports Bluetooth 5.3 and is reportedly ready for the coming Bluetooth LE Audio standard.

The Buds 2 Pro will cost $230 and be available on August 26th. Those that pre-order will get a "free" wireless charger, up to $75 off with a trade-in, and $30 in Samsung credit.

For more details, anticipate our upcoming review. (Sadly, we did not get the chance to go hands ears-on).

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Ostensibly a senior editor, in reality just some verbose dude who digs on tech, loves Android, and hates anticompetitive practices. His only regret is that he didn't buy a Nokia N9 in 2012. Email tips or corrections to ryne at androidpolice dot com.