Forget teases, conjectures, and leaks. Samsung's own leadership has penned a blog post that primes the anticipation pump for multiple foldable devices that may "push the limit of what's possible," and will launch during Samsung Unpacked on August 10.
In an editorial posted late Wednesday entitled, "The Mainstream Moment for Foldable Smartphones Is Here," Samsung President Dr. TM Roh, says that after seeing 10 million foldable shipped last year (or 9 million, depending on who you ask), "we're reaching the moment where foldable are widespread."
Samsung now plans to help ensure that spread with new foldables - he doesn't name them - that the company will unveil on August 10.
It's safe to assume that Roh is talking about Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4, or at least some iteration of those two folding Android phone designs. But it's also possible that Samsung may take a leap or two on the names, maybe adding something like "Ultra" to one of them.
Big changes or big talk
There's also the possibility, at least based on Roh's language, that these new devices might push the envelope of foldable design, as well. As Roh notes, "This year, we’ve made advancements in every detail and opened the new experiences enabled by these behavior-shifting devices."
However, there's also the chance that the Z Flip, a more palm-sized foldable, and the Fold 4, a smartphone that unfolds into a small tablet, could merge a bit, with the Z Flip talking on some of the Fold's productivity attributes and the Fold 4 getting a little more of the Z Flip's design panache.
Writes Roh, "I can’t wait to show you the potential of our new Samsung Galaxy foldables as the ultimate tool for both productivity and self-expression. Now, you can do more than you ever thought possible, all at once, on one device."
As for what we can expect from a new Galaxy Fold 4, most rumors point to improved screens, more cameras, and a redefined hinge. On the Z Flip 4 front, the changes might be less extreme, though there could be a new under-the-fold screen camera.
Roh's post certainly seems to promise more than that, but it could also be a bit of marketing bluster to build excitement for what we suspected was coming all along.
