Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Announced With Bigger Displays, Bigger Battery & Higher Price Tag

After teasing the Galaxy Z Fold 2 at Unpacked last month, Samsung has now announced the device, and we have everything you need to know.

With the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung went ahead and took the feedback it received from the original Galaxy Fold, and incorporated it here. To make this a really stunning foldable smartphone.

The first big change are the displays

Samsung is now using Infinity-O displays for both the internal display and the Cover Display.

The cover display is now nearly bezel-less, and measures in at 6.2-inches diagonally. It has a resolution of 2260×816, which is a rather odd resolution, but this is a very tall device, when it is folded. Samsung is also using Gorilla Glass Victus (aka, Gorilla Glass 7) on the Cover Display. That’s the same as the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

Meanwhile, the internal display, is now 7.6-inches. It’s about 27-inch larger than the previous model. This is thanks to even thinner bezels, and Samsung adopting the Infinity-O display here. So that huge notch on the right-side of the display is gone. And it is using Samsung’s Ultra Thin Glass or UTG, which we saw debut on the Galaxy Z Flip earlier this year.

There will be a factory-installed screen protector on both displays, which can be removed. Unlike with the first generation Galaxy Fold – that never made its way to consumers – the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s screen protector can be removed without damaging the screen. It’s the same type of flimsy plastic that is on the Galaxy Z Flip 5G.

Top of the line specs, for Galaxy Z Fold 2

Flex Mode has made its way to the Galaxy Z Fold 2

Flex Mode, which also debuted on the Galaxy Z Flip, is coming to the Galaxy Z Fold 2. And a few more apps are also supported this time around.

YouTube and Google Duo are supported, which is nothing new. But more Samsung apps are also supported this time around. That includes the camera, video calling, the gallery, the clock and calendar.

Flex Mode allows you to use the Galaxy Z Fold 2 almost like a laptop. Where it is opened to a 90-degree angle, and you have some elements of the app on one side and the other elements on the other side.

For example, with YouTube, it shows the video on the one side that is standing up, and then it has the comments and all the other elements on the other side. So you can scroll through the comments (even though none of us should) without missing out on the video that’s playing.

There are some other software changes that Samsung made to the Galaxy Z Fold 2. That includes Dual Preview. Essentially, if you are taking a picture of someone, or even taking a selfie using the rear camera, the person can also see the viewfinder on the Cover Display. So they can see how they look before you snap the photo. Sure this is a niche feature, but still very cool.

Wireless Dex is also here, like with the Galaxy Note 20 series. Allowing you to bring a desktop experience to your TV.

Samsung also fine-tuned some of the software, like App Pairs. So you can now easily launch a pair of two or three apps at once. It worked on the original Galaxy Fold, but it wasn’t that smooth. It is now a lot smoother on the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Along with App Pairs, you can now drag and drop between apps in App Pairs. So you can highlight text from an email and drag it over to Slack on the other side of the screen, and send it to someone.

Samsung worked with Microsoft to fine-tune some of their own apps for use on the Galaxy Z Fold 2. So with apps like PowerPoint and Word, you’ll get a more desktop-like experience on the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Instead of the mobile app experience.

Buyers will get the “Z Premier Service”

This is a service that debuted on the Galaxy Fold last year, but was rebranded with the Galaxy Z Flip earlier this year. It’s a service that gives you premium everything from Samsung. The company likes to say it gives you a “VIP experience”.

With Z Premier Service, you will get first in line access to Samsung’s best customer support. As well as one-on-one support with a Samsung expert, if you need to learn how to use your device and care for it.

Samsung is also expanding the Z Premier Service. So other benefits you’ll receive are a year membership to FoundersCard, a prepared meal from a Michelin star restaurant, and for the golfers out there, ClubCorp is also available.

Galaxy Z Fold 2 users still get a one-time screen replacement included in the Z Premier Service. It’s not free, and it will cost you $149. But this is the one-time discounted screen replacement that Samsung offers on all of its foldables. It’ll cost a whole lot more to replace the Galaxy Z Fold 2 display later on.

It won’t be cheap(er)

Many thought that the Galaxy Z Fold 2 was going to be cheaper than the Galaxy Fold was, after all the pricing leaks for Europe pegged it at €100 less.

But, the pricing in the US is actually higher than the Galaxy Fold. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is going to cost $1,999 in the US. And that doesn’t include any extras in the box – so no Galaxy Buds this time around. Samsung feels that with all of the changes that were made this year, keeping it at roughly the same price (only $20 more) is pretty impressive.

Pre-orders will start tomorrow, September 2. And they will ship on September 18.

There is also a Thom Browne special, that will also go on pre-order starting on September 2, and launch a week later on September 25. The Thom Browne bundle includes the Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Watch 3, and a carrying bag. It’ll cost a pretty penny at $3,299.