New leaks around the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 are appearing with increasing regularity as we approach the foldable phone's expected August launch window, and the latest one concerns one of the most important specs of all: battery capacity.
The team at GalaxyClub has spotted two phone batteries being registered by Samsung with regulators in South Korea, and all the signs suggest that these batteries are going to be heading to the successor to the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
We've got rated capacities of 2,002mAh and 2,268mAh, a grand total of 4,270mAh. That's almost identical to the 4,275mAh capacity of the Galaxy Z Fold 3, and like its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will likely be marketed as having a 4,400mAh battery (phone makers promote what's known as the 'typical' capacity, which is bigger than the rated capacity).
Doing the math
Only a couple of days ago we heard rumors that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is going to be thinner and lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 3 – and keeping the battery capacity the same this year will certainly help in making sure the upcoming foldable is more pocketable.
There has been talk of a drop in price for the flagship Samsung phone as well, something that a lower battery capacity can contribute towards. For reference, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 launched with a starting price of $1,799 / £1,599 / AU$2,499.
A more affordable foldable would certainly be welcomed by consumers – and so while it might be disappointing that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 isn't getting a battery capacity upgrade, it's probable that we'll see resulting benefits in other areas.
Analysis: Assessing battery capacity
As always with battery capacities, it's important to wait until we can actual test the phone out before making a full judgment – although the mAh (milliamperes per hour) number is a useful shortcut to estimating battery life on a smartphone or tablet.
Hardware and software optimizations mean that phone manufacturers are often able to squeeze out more battery life from the same battery capacity. Apple, which of course has full control over both the iPhones it makes and the iOS software running on top of them, is notably good at this.
When we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, we found that the foldable phone usually lasted through the day on a single charge. It's likely that Samsung is going to target the same all-day battery life when it brings out the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
So while it looks as though battery life might not be one of the key selling points of the next Samsung foldable, we'll have to wait for our review to see exactly how much time you can expect between charges. As always, this will depend on how the phone is used, as well as settings such as display brightness.
