Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 to Launch September 18 at $1999

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold2 can now be preordered and will be available for sale on September 18 at a heady starting price of $1999.

“Our journey towards the next generation of mobile devices is full of originality and innovation,” Samsung president TM Roh said in a prepared statement. “With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, we closely listened to user feedback to ensure we were bringing meaningful improvements to the hardware, while also developing new innovations to enhance the user experience.”

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As you might expect of a second-generation device, the 2-in-1 Fold2 provides some nice improvements over its unreliable predecessor. Key upgrades include a full-sized 6.2-inch outer display, which Samsung calls the Cover Screen, an improved hideaway hinge, and a “sweeper structure” that prevents dirt and debris from getting inside the device. There’s also a rear triple-lens camera system.

It’s a great-looking handset, too, and can be had in the same iconic Mystic Bronze color that debuted last month with the Galaxy Note 20 line.

The Galaxy ZX Fold2 is powered by modern internals, unlike Microsoft’s Surface Duo. That includes a top-of-the-line Snapdragon 865+ processor, 12 GB of RAM, and 256 or 512 GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage. It comes with a 4500 mAh dual battery, wireless charging, and DeX capabilities.

Of particular interest is Samsung’s partnerships with Microsoft and Google. During its virtual launch event, it showed off how Microsoft apps like Office and Outlook could take advantage of the bigger internal folding display by allowing two app windows or multiple app views. And the firm has worked with Google to help define this new market for foldables at the OS level, it says.

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Conversation 28 comments

  • drmdub

    01 September, 2020 - 11:47 am

    <p>The one complaint that people almost universally had about the first Fold (outside of durability) was the price. So of course, the second one is <em>more</em> expensive. </p><p><br></p><p>I wasn't really expecting it to be a lot less expensive, but a bit? Some kind of progress towards making it seem a bit more reasonable? Yeah, that I expected. </p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      02 September, 2020 - 8:46 am

      Well. The price. But also the ridiculously small outer display. The reliability. Etc.

  • GT Tecolotecreek

    01 September, 2020 - 11:48 am

    <p>Duo killer.</p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      01 September, 2020 - 12:25 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#566134">In reply to GT_Tecolotecreek:</a></em></blockquote><p>Hardly. Neither one of these devices will sell a lot.</p>

    • StevenLayton

      01 September, 2020 - 1:31 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#566134"><em>In reply to GT_Tecolotecreek:</em></a><em> Is ‘Duo killer’ the new ‘iPhone killer’?</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

      • Paul Thurrott

        Premium Member
        02 September, 2020 - 8:42 am

        No, the iPhone is the market leader. The Duo killed itself.

    • Vladimir Carli

      Premium Member
      01 September, 2020 - 1:43 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#566134">In reply to GT_Tecolotecreek:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I would take the Duo over this samsung thing every day. The problem is that the cost of these devices has become astronomical</p>

  • lilmoe

    01 September, 2020 - 12:14 pm

    <p>I'm sorry, but this form factor is miles more useful than the Duo, and much more practical, while providing the user with a larger interaction area and viewing experience. Thicker, yes, but the size is much more manageable. It's way easier to start using the Fold compared to the Duo, and that alone will always make the Duo a secondary rather than primary device.</p><p><br></p><p>Unlike Microsoft, Samsung has been spending more time and money on R&amp;D. The Duo looks like an mesh-mash of off-the-shelf components with a tiny investment in a hinge.</p><p><br></p><p>This isn't only true against the Duo, but also all other foldable form factors by others like Huawei. It's really obvious which form factor is the future. The third iteration should be very promising.</p>

    • Chris_Kez

      Premium Member
      01 September, 2020 - 1:41 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#566138">In reply to lilmoe:</a></em></blockquote><p>Off of which shelf did Microsoft pull those 4.8mm thin, wide aspect ratio screens?</p>

    • Calibr21

      02 September, 2020 - 3:07 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#566138">In reply to lilmoe:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>The Duo is built around multitasking. This is just a collapsible bigger screen. The image with 2 office programs open doesn't look usable. </p>

      • Paul Thurrott

        Premium Member
        02 September, 2020 - 8:20 am

        The Fold2 offers even better multitasking features than Duo, given its three snapped apps feature, but it’s even more versatile beyond that one feature.

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      02 September, 2020 - 8:46 am

      Right.

  • navarac

    01 September, 2020 - 12:31 pm

    <p>Makes Duo look cheap!</p>

    • SvenJ

      01 September, 2020 - 2:46 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#566152"><em>In reply to navarac:</em></a><em> </em>Just imagine if the DUO covered all the stuff that it doesn't have. Imagine adding pen support to the Z Fold2. It might have topped $2500. The Duo at that kind of price would have been an even tougher sell, and a greater engineering challenge. I think MS probably did the right thing in including all the things needed to prove the concept, and leaving out the stuff that would have made people pass out at the price. </blockquote><p><br></p>

  • hidp123

    01 September, 2020 - 12:46 pm

    <p>After seeing pics of the Surface Duo the halves of the Samsung Fold seem so skinny!</p>

    • OligarchyAmbulance

      01 September, 2020 - 12:58 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#566162">In reply to hidp123:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>The Fold, and Duo both use 4:3 displays, so it's literally half the width of the Duo when running apps side by side. I just don't see the usefulness of two tiny apps like that, Microsoft definitely made the right call to go wide.</p>

      • hidp123

        01 September, 2020 - 1:58 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#566172">In reply to OligarchyAmbulance:</a></em></blockquote><p>I don't think the fold is 4:3, not each half. </p><p><br></p>

      • hidp123

        01 September, 2020 - 2:22 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#566172">In reply to OligarchyAmbulance:</a></em></blockquote><p>The fold's half has a 22.5:9 display. </p>

      • Paul Thurrott

        Premium Member
        02 September, 2020 - 8:44 am

        Samsung made the right choice. The Flip2 is optimized for the most frequent use cases. A wider display is only useful in the rare times you need two productivity apps side by side for more than a few seconds.

  • mmcpher

    Premium Member
    01 September, 2020 - 1:11 pm

    <p>Samsung Note Ultra or Samsung Z Fold2 or Microsoft Duo? Unless there's some late, added starter, this is what I am looking at, and though I liked the look and feel of the Z Fold1, I was not a particular fan of the narrowness of the device when folded. I have had a succession of Note +'s, and always wished they were a little wider so that the otherwise terrific S-Pen might be easier to use, thereby being used more often. I can't fathom how the market prefers ease-of-fitting in a shirt pocket (with the current tall-and-thin form factors, to the added utility and visibility of a wider screen. So as I watched the Z Fold2 launch this morning, I kept thinking about how necessarily soft the foldable screen was, and how it won't ever work with anything sharper than the pad of a finger. And liking the hard-glass, Surface-pen-ready, wider screen of the Microsoft Duo more and more. </p>

    • wolters

      Premium Member
      01 September, 2020 - 2:44 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#566175">In reply to mmcpher:</a></em></blockquote><p>I really like the Note 20 Ultra, Z Fold 2 and Surface Duo. I currently have the Note 20 Ultra…my heart wants the Duo but the camera enthusiast in me just can't do it…I wasn't expected to like the Z Fold 2 as much as I thought I would. These are some really strong offerings if you want unique and flagship quality phones. </p><p><br></p><p>Side note – I do like the Samsung Ecosystem of the Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy Watch 3 and Galaxy Buds Live…and add to the reliable duo charging pad and underrated Gear 360 camera. I want to see a tighter and cohesive ecosystem with the Pixel brand. </p>

      • chuckop

        Premium Member
        15 September, 2020 - 11:51 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#566232">In reply to wolters:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>This is my situation too. I got the Duo and actually love it. Not having nearly the problems others are having.</p><p><br></p><p>However, the camera is the killer for me. I need quick access to the camera functionality, and better low-light performance.</p><p><br></p><p>I took the Duo as my primary device to Walt Disney World this past weekend. Pictures taken indoors were grainy. Trying to take a selfie was easy – but flipping the screens around to take a picture using the "rear" camera would confuse the Duo, and I spent time flipping the device around. </p><p><br></p><p>Also, pressing the Volume key to take a picture was unreliable and I defaulted to using a 3 second time instead.</p><p><br></p><p>I really loved the Duo and typing out messages using it was fun and productive. I liked the 4:3 screen size as well. I think the Duo proves the value of these kinds of devices.</p><p><br></p><p>Sadly, I'm going to return the Duo and likely get the Note 20 Ultra.</p>

  • ghostrider

    01 September, 2020 - 2:16 pm

    <p>Other than the fact true foldables are probably the future (and not slapping two displays together on a hinge, which is a bit of a cop-out, a la Duo), I've one other word to say about this – price &lt;gulp&gt;. Ouch.</p><p><br></p>

  • jimchamplin

    Premium Member
    01 September, 2020 - 2:32 pm

    <p>That is a face meltingly high price. How ‘bout no?</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      02 September, 2020 - 8:41 am

      Yeah, but there are different ways to look at it. The Fold2 can replace a flagship smartphone and a mini-tablet. So the aggregate price of those is close to $2000.

  • peterc

    Premium Member
    01 September, 2020 - 2:34 pm

    <p>well, in terms of an unfolded view, as per the above pictures, I way prefer the Surface Duo’s screen real estate. </p>

  • scovious

    01 September, 2020 - 2:41 pm

    <p>I wonder if they will make a version with a kickstand, so I can enjoy using that massive screen for watching videos without making my arms tired. </p><p>I guess we can still do a makeshift "tent-mode" by using the exterior screen….</p>

  • davidblouin

    01 September, 2020 - 6:49 pm

    <p>I'm gonna be that guy and say it would look sweet with iOS on it…</p>

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