Samsung's New Galaxy Z Fold3 Is Up to P22,000 More Affordable Than its Predecessor

If you’re unconvinced about the popularity of Samsung’s foldable phones, here’s some numbers that should change your mind: of the 2.8 million foldable smartphones shipped to consumers in 2020, about 73 percent came from Samsung. That’s according to market research firm Counterpoint. 

Granted only Motorola and Huawei were the only other smartphone companies that offered foldable phones in 2020, but still; two million foldable phones from one brand is still a hefty number. And of that number, Samsung reportedly sold 500,000 of its Galaxy Z Fold2, which the Korean brand launched in September last year.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 apparently proved so popular that Samsung wasted no time rolling out an update. On Wednesday (August 11), the brand introduced two new foldable phones: the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G as well as the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G.

Photo by Samsung.

New Galaxy Z Fold3

I’ve been using a Galaxy Z Fold 2 for about a year so I was curious to find out the updates and upgrades the brand is introducing in the newest iteration. During a preview of the new phone a week before the global launch, local Samsung officials gave select media the lowdown on its newest flagship foldable.

The most significant change is the “disappearance” of the camera hole in the main screen. Through Samsung’s Under Display Camera technology, the 7.6-inch screen can now provide truly seamless visuals not just to watch video content but for all other apps. The display itself is 29 percent brighter but consumes less energy, while scrolling is even faster and more intuitive with the “Super Smooth 120Hz adaptive refresh rate” now on both the main and cover screens.

Photo by Samsung.

Another innovation on the Galaxy Z Fold3 that is a direct result of feedback from users using the previous version: S Pen functionality. Samsung says the S Pen Fold Edition features a “specially engineered retractable Pro tip with force limit technology” to protect the phone’s main screen.

Lastly, the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G’s has enhanced Flex mode features, something I rarely ever get to use on my own phone but sounds like it would come in handy. There’s an updated Multi-Active Window that lets you open multiple apps on the main screen, plus a new taskbar so you can go directly to another app without going back to the home screen.

Photo by Samsung.

The Galaxy Z Fold2 weighs 9.9 ounces (280 grams) or slightly less than a full can of soda, but the new version promises to be lighter and thinner.

Best of all—and I couldn’t believe it even when they announced it—but the Galaxy Z Fold2 is actually more affordable than its predecessor. The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G retails at P87,990 for the 256GB (Phantom Black and Phantom Silver) and P95,990 for the 512GB variant (Phantom Black and Phantom Green). 

(Just for comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold2 was priced at P109,990 at launch last year).

New Galaxy Flip3 5G

Simultaneous with the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is its slightly smaller sibling. The Galaxy Flip3 5G’s cover screen is now four times larger and now has widgets for frequently used apps like schedule-keeping, weather-watching, and step-counting (paired with a wearable like the Galaxy Watch).

Photo by Samsung.

The phone now also supports Stereo Speakers with Dolby Atmos for a richer multi-media experience. Just like the Z Fold2, the Flex Mode Panel moves the video to the top half of the phone and setting like brightness and volume to the bottom half for a more improved video content viewing experience. 

At least one other feature that both the Galaxy Z Fold3 and the Z Flip3 share: water resistance. It’s something we’re all concerned with when it comes to our gadgets, and while Samsung still doesn’t recommend a dip in the pool or ocean with your phone on you, it’s good to know that you can at least rest easy when you’re caught in the rain or forget that you have it while you’re in the shower.

Photo by Samsung.

Samsung also launched new the new Samsung Watch4 and Galaxy Buds2, both of which are packed with a bunch of new features that they deserve their own write-up. We’ll do an in-depth review on some or all of these new gadgets as soon as Samsung lets us play with them.

Photo by Samsung.

You can pre-order the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G from August 19 to September 21 in Samsung Experience Stores, select Samsung Blue Stores, Abenson, SM Appliance Stores, and Authorized Samsung online partners. If you do, you can get freebies and discounts worth up to P27,400. Visit the website to learn more.