All The Info On Samsung’s Latest Gadgets
As a major player in the UK’s gadget market, Samsung’s annual Unpacked events are always big news. It’s when that the South Korean company unveil juicy new products that push the frontiers of what handheld tech can do – and it often outshines competitors.
Certainly, with their foldable phones, they’re among the best in the market. So, will the fifth version of the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Flip be another big step? It certainly seems so. The headline news is that they’re lighter, slimmer and larger external display gives them more versatility than ever. With the announcement of an updated tablet and smart watch too, there is indeed loads to unpack. Here’s the lowdown on their new range.
Galaxy Z Flip 5
You’ll notice a fair few upgrades from last year’s flip phone. It’s thinner, lighter – and faster, now it has Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. And overall, the design is better. It’s available in uber-trendy mint and lavender, plus the classics of cream and black. The outer screen is now larger, so it’s more functional for quick texts, to view widgets, and for taking selfies. You interact with it in a similar way to the Galaxy Watch, with swipeable apps and widgets, gesture-based navigation, and quick access to the most important things. The internal folding screen has a new hinge that reduces the crease in the middle, and means the phone has no gap along the sides when it’s closed. In all, it’s apparently 25 per cent more durable – which is useful, given how often we use our phones.
The default storage is now 256GB (up from 128GB), and is priced at £1,049. There’s also a 512GB version at £1,149 and they’re available now.
Galaxy Z Fold 5
Part phone, part tablet, and fully handy, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 has also had a noticeable upgrade – which is good news as it now faces competition from the Google Pixel Fold. Like the Galaxy Flip, it’s thinner, lighter and faster (it’s got the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip too) – this also helps the improved multitasking capabilities. It has the same new hinge design as the Flip, which means there’s less of a crease, and it shuts without a gap at the sides. You’ll also notice the inside screen goes up to 30 per cent brighter, which is useful when outdoors. The five cameras on the back, front, and the inner screen are the same as the previous model, but the other improvements mean you’ll get better resulting pics.
As a bigger product and one for power users, it’s more pricey than the Flip: it’s £1,749 for 256GB. For 512GB it’s £1,849, while the 1TB will set you back £2,049.
Galaxy Tab S9
The Tab S8 was arguably the point at which users could comfortably replace their laptops with the Samsung tablet. With the Tab S9, that’s confirmed. This range comes as an S9, S9+ and the S9 Ultra – the only major difference is the screen size, which ranges from 11” to 14.6”. Even the entry level S9 has an AMOLED display rather than an LCD panel for starters, which means the screen display is improved. As with the rest of the series, speakers are 20% larger, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip means multi-tasking and overall speed is better too.
For writers and artists, a stylus pen is included, and it performs better than previously as it’s more sensitive to pressure and has a latency of 2.8ms. Aiding its durability – and we love to see Samsung’s emphasis on making their products last – it’s the first mainstream Samsung tablet to be given a top-tier IP68 ratings for water and dust resistance.
The series is available now, with a starting price of £799 (which is the same as the S8 starting price, despite double the storage). It goes all the way up to £1,699 for the S9 Ultra with 1TB of storage and the 5G option.
Galaxy Watch 6
There’s plenty of action on the wearable front too. The Unpacked event revealed details for a new Watch 6 and 6 Classic series (there’s no Pro version, but the Watch 5 Pro will still be on sale). It also boasts faster chips, more memory and larger batteries – which is a critical feature with smartwatches. The watches have 20% larger displays, which make it more functional, and operate on One UI Watch 5. This employs the latest tech for tracking improved sleep, fitness, and safety – including a virtual safety coach, personalised Heart Rate Zones, and an SOS feature.
The Galaxy Watch 6 comes in 40 and 44mm sizes in the UK, while the Watch 6 Classic comes in 43mm and 47mm. The Classic range was noticeably absent in the 5 series, but it’s back, looking like a traditional watch, with a rotating bezel as its menu navigation – which will please those who like to mix analogue design with digital features. The Watch 6 starts at £289 and the Watch 6 Classic at £369, making it cheaper than the Google Pixel Watch and a very tempting option in the smartwatch market.
If you’re looking to protect your tech Switched On’s gadget insurance offers 24/7 online claims, fast repairs and replacements and immediate cover. And if you choose an annual policy you’ll get two months FREE! Find out more here.