The Samsung Unpacked Event is Samsung biggest event of the year; they showcase their latest and greatest tech launching juuuuuust in time for your partner to ask for one for Christmas. This year, on August 10th, I got to sneak in as a NAG writer and experience the unpacking all to myself. Here’s the tea:
Samsung is dropping four hot tamales right into our laps that will be available in SA from September 1st, pre-registering for all this flashy tech will already be open by the time you read this. There isn’t anything “new” per se, just the latest models of the cutting-edge foldables and wearables from the Samsung range, namely, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, the Samsung Buds2 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy Watch5 and Watch5 Pro. “Innovative” was the word of the day at the Unpacked event with Samsung explaining how they’ve had to re-design the hinge and remove various parts from the screen to push the foldable phones to their new limits, but essentially, Samsung sent their engineering team to brain gym and told them to come back with stronger, more durable tech, that’s thinner, flashier and sexier than the previous generation. Well, I’d keep those gym memberships because it’s definitely working, we think, the proof will be in the protein pudding.
So, who should be excited by all this new flexible phoneware that’s about to hit the market?
Well, Samsung is pushing the Flip4 as the “content creators” phone, they have partnered with Instagram, TikTok and the like to ensure that their Flip4’s new FlexCam is exactly what you need to go handsfree and shoot your most exciting and creative content out there, and I can see it being that kind of device, in fact out of all the devices on show at the event, the Flip4 was the one that piqued my interest the most. The only real downside I saw was that being a content creator’s phone and all, it didn’t pack all the cameras that the Fold4 was carrying around, weird right? The other bummer was that the Bespoke Editions, another way of Samsung allowing us to express ourselves, won’t be immediately available in SA, yes, they will be selling a few interesting covers, but I’m a little disappointed that I won’t be able to create my very own Flip4, for me myself and I.
The Fold4, for me (and around 70% of the market buying Samsung’s foldable phones), still feels very niche. It’s a little too big when it’s open to be a comfortable hand-held mobile device, and I suppose, a little silly to be kept closed all the time. But still, Samsung is punting it as their be-all and end-all multi-tasking machine, it’s that two-monitor desktop setup you’ve always dreamed about having, but in your back pocket. It’s been slimmed down, hardened up, sexified and dropped a weight class from its predecessor, but still feels like it’s for a very specific person who’s looking for that exact kind of phone.
The Buds2 Pro are an all-around upgrade from the previous generation. Anyone looking to have a wearable that allows you to dip in and out of the solitude of headphone silence should have these on their radar. They’ve got improved tweeters and woofers and Samsung has developed a special codec that allows for 24-bit sound to be passed through the airwaves, so you get the sound to your ears the way it’s meant to be heard. Of course, intelligent ANC and SmartThings come built in so you don’t need to worry about the newer model being “dumbed down” in any way.
And finally, the new watch on the block…uhm…wrist. The Watch5 brings all the best parts from the Watch4 to the table, with a few added extras that should get your taste-buds humming. They’ve finally switched to Sapphire Crystal for a hardier glass, they’ve increased the size of the sensors that touch your skin for more accurate monitoring AND they’ve gone ahead and added more sensors, because science. The Watch5 has a continuous SpO sensor, or blood oxygen sensor for those of us less in the lingo-know like myself, (which will not be available at launch, but will be activated via a software update around October) as well as an infrared temperature sensor to help maintain accuracy no matter what the outside temperature may be (again, also hoping for an October software switch on).
I’d also like to add that although you may not be into the foldable phone, Samsung is pushing the limits of what a phone actually is, they’re taking steps in a direction that no one else is and that is what is going to drive “phone-ware” forward. I’m pretty sure we’re all slowly growing tired of the bread slices we use on a day-to-day basis. Phones have become, just that, phones, nothing that interesting has been released on a phone since Samsung decided to have one bend in your back pocket when you sit down for a snack.
All in all, Samsung unpacked a whopper at the Unpacked event, and I’m so glad I got to sneak on in. Hopefully next time, I’ll be able to fool more people into thinking I’m real Len.
Before I forget! The boring, but probably very important stuff; prices:
The Galaxy Z Fold4: RRP R37,999
The Galaxy Z Flip4: RRP R20,999
The Galaxy Buds2 Pro: RRP R3,999
The Galaxy Watch5: RRP R5,999
The Galaxy Watch5 Pro: RRP R11,999
Of course, there are some exciting pre-order incentives, like a free Watch5 if you pre-order from Incredible Connection, trade-in cash-backs on your old phone whether you buy the Flip/Fold4 on cash or contract and a year of Samsung Care+
Want to know more? Feel free to ask anything in the comments below and we’ll fill your brains with more foldable knowledge!