Beyond the Fold: Galaxy Z Fold’s Trailblazing Journey in Mobile Innovation

Today, when you reach into your pocket and pull out your phone, you’re often greeted by a screen nearly the size of a tablet. Foldable smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives. Behind this seamless integration is the pursuit of innovation by Samsung Electronics and its dedicated employees who have built the foundation for the Galaxy Z Fold to become a mainstay in the mobile market. Samsung Newsroom sat down to detail the journey of the Galaxy Z Fold series, from conception to creation, as it continues to unfold with new features year after year.

In 2019, Samsung’s Galaxy Fold shattered the conventional notion of mobile phones. Featuring a remarkable 7.3-inch Infinity Flex Display, this revolutionary device offered users a tablet-like experience right from the palm of their hands. Thanks to its precise hinge technology, the phone could be effortlessly folded like a book, ensuring portability without compromising functionality. This achievement was a result of innovation across all areas, from materials to technology.

The larger screen opened new possibilities for more versatile content viewing. For example, users could split the display into two or three sections based on their preferences. To make multitasking easy, Samsung added the Multi Window feature, allowing users to run multiple apps simultaneously. What’s more, content being viewed on the Cover Screen could continue without interruption when the phone was unfolded. This device brought a whole new level of productivity and engagement that was not possible with other smartphones, inviting users into an entirely new world.

The following year, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Z Fold2, an upgraded version of the Galaxy Fold that incorporated valuable user feedback on the foldable experience. The main display was overhauled to maximize user immersion, now boasting a larger 7.6-inch screen with a sleek design that eliminated the notch and left only a camera hole. Additionally, the cover display was expanded to 6.2 inches, significantly enhancing usability on the go.

The Galaxy Z Fold2 also introduced a groundbreaking feature called Flex mode, a unique user experience that divides your screen as you partially fold your phone between 75 and 115 degrees. In addition to this innovation, the camera capabilities were enhanced for even better photos — Auto Framing automatically adjusts the camera’s shooting range by recognizing faces and movements, while Dual Preview allows both the user and the subject of the photo to view the preview on the Main and Cover Screen simultaneously. With the combination of Flex mode and these camera upgrades, anyone could now easily become a content creator.

The Galaxy Z Fold2 not only improved multitasking capabilities but also simplified the way users managed multiple tasks on their smartphones. With the improved Multi Window, users have the flexibility to adjust the screen layout based on their needs. They can also smoothly move texts and images between different running apps. Additionally, the App Pair feature eliminates repetitive and time-consuming setups by allowing users to save combinations of frequently used apps and open them together as a single group. These upgrades streamlined multitasking immensely to create a hassle-free mobile experience.

To ensure that users no longer needed to worry about accidental drops or water damage, Samsung’s third-generation foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, introduced significant durability improvements. Making history for foldable smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G was the first to offer IPX8 water resistance,¹ allowing consumers to comfortably use their phones with wet hands while cooking or enjoy their beach vacations without concern. The main display became 80% more durable than its predecessor through the application of a protective film made from new materials.² By incorporating Armor Aluminum, the strongest material used in Galaxy devices to date, and Corning^® Gorilla^® Glass Victus^®, users’ smartphones were safeguarded no matter the circumstances. In addition, the phone was verified by Bureau Veritas after undergoing rigorous testing to withstand 200,000 folds.³

The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G boasted a stunning 7.6-inch main display that truly shined. The Under Display Camera (UDC) technology places pixels over the camera hole to enhance light transmittance and adjust pixel spacing, resulting in a seamless widescreen experience. Users could enjoy videos, games and other immersive content with a fully utilized display, free from any visual disruptions caused by a camera hole. Moreover, the new display incorporated Eco² display technology, boosting brightness by approximately 29%, to ensure users could experience a remarkably clear display even in direct sunlight.

For the first time ever in the series, the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G introduced support for the S Pen Fold Edition, a tool that maximizes efficiency when used on a foldable screen. Whether you need to sketch on the screen or quickly jot down notes, the S Pen Fold Edition is readily available. Simply remove it, and you’re ready to go. When you double tap the main display while pressing the side of the S Pen Fold Edition, Samsung Note opens instantly — helping you take notes whether you’re watching an online course or talking on the phone. By offering limitless possibilities for work, study and more, this addition brought a new level of enjoyment and unlocked countless ways to utilize the phone.

The Galaxy Z Fold4 introduced remarkable improvements in both weight and display size. At only 263 grams, the device’s screen featured a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display, while the cover display became wider and shorter to maintain a stable aspect ratio. This design enhancement ensured that users could comfortably type and freely utilize most apps even when the smartphone was folded.

In today’s world, the boundaries between workspaces and non-workspaces have become increasingly blurred, whether you’re at the office, home, coffee shop or park. Recognizing this, the Galaxy Z Fold4 elevated its multitasking capabilities to a whole new level. The Taskbar feature, reminiscent of the familiar taskbar layout on PC screens, allows users to add their favorite apps for easy access. This not only simplifies the transition between different app screens but also allows for the intuitive Drag and Drop feature, enabling users to display multiple apps simultaneously. In addition, the App Pair feature works directly with the Taskbar, so users can save even more time.

The added swipe gestures took the phone’s multitasking capabilities even further. With simple finger gestures, users could split the screen or bring up pop-up windows, making it incredibly convenient to view multiple apps on a single display. By dragging a finger from a corner to the center, the current app transforms into a pop-up window. Swiping two fingers from the right, left or bottom splits the screen, displaying the current app on both halves. Furthermore, Samsung’s strengthened support for productivity apps such as Google Chrome, Gmail, Microsoft Office and Outlook, enabling users to effortlessly manage various tasks no matter where they unfold their smartphones.

This year, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Z Fold5, the series’ lightest and most groundbreaking foldable yet. The latest addition combines the power of an immersive, large screen with a sleek and lightweight design, offering unparalleled portability at only 253 grams without compromising performance. The Galaxy Z Fold5’s 7.6-inch Main Screen provides an expansive and uninterrupted viewing experience, regardless of whether users are enjoying their favorite videos in portrait or landscape mode.

Gamers will be thrilled by the addition of Snapdragon^® 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy, which enhances graphics and uses AI to deliver a next-level gaming experience on the large smartphone screen ever.

Productivity gets a boost with the improved Taskbar, two-handed Drag and Drop and hidden pop-up feature, allowing users to multitask and transfer content between multiple apps with ease. What’s more, the slimmer and more compact design of the S Pen Fold Edition allows users to unleash their creativity anytime, anywhere.

Finally, in line with Samsung’s vision for sustainability, the Galaxy Z Fold5 incorporates a wider variety of recycled materials⁴ — pre-consumer recycled glass and aluminum as well as post-consumer recycled plastics sourced from discarded fishing nets, water barrels and PET bottles. Even the packaging, made from 100% recycled material,⁵ reflects the company’s mission to lay the groundwork for a better tomorrow.

The Future of Foldables Is Here

Samsung Electronics pushes the boundaries of what is possible, building upon the legacy of its trademark foldable series. Samsung’s diverse consumers, with their unique lifestyles, constantly discover innovative ways to utilize their phones, further highlighting the impact of the Galaxy Z Fold series on everyday lives. Samsung will continue to innovate the Galaxy Z Fold series to inspire users and become the ultimate productivity powerhouse.

¹ IPX8 is based on test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes.
² According to an internal test result using Galaxy Z Fold2.
³ A result backed by Bureau Veritas, the world leader in testing, inspection and certification services.
⁴ Types of recycled materials include post-consumer recycled PA sourced from discarded fishing nets, post-consumer recycled PBT sourced from discarded PET bottles, post-consumer recycled PC sourced from water barrels and pre-consumer recycled aluminum sourced from discarded scrap material generated as a by-product during manufacturing. The scrap metal is re-melted, filtered for impurities and then recycled to make parts within Samsung’s manufacturing process. There is also pre-consumer recycled content sourced from discarded glass waste generated as a byproduct of glass manufacturing. This glass waste is crushed into cullet and then used as a component in the Corning^® Gorilla^® Glass Victus^® 2 manufacturing process.
⁵ 100% recycled paper is used in the following packaging components: the Product Packaging Unit Box, Cover Protector, Manual Box, Manual Pad, and DLC Band. The 100% recycled paper material has received Environmental Claim Validation (ECV).