Galaxy Z Fold 4 Cameras Tipped To Outdo The Galaxy S22
Smartphone trends have come and gone with changes in design focus, technologies, and notches. The one thing that has remained the same — no matter the price tier — is the need for good cameras. The top brands in the market have always competed in this arena, flexing their photography muscles at every opportunity. Samsung's foldable phones, however, have so far been the exception in the company's roster, probably because Samsung had to focus first on perfecting what really defines the device. Its foldable screen technology is finally reaching a point where it can start paying attention to other important aspects, and it seems the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is heading in that direction, finally delivering cameras that will be able to stand alongside the company's "normal" flagships.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 last year came as a disappointment in many ways despite the innovation of finally supporting a stylus. In addition to the mediocre battery, the latest foldable phone's cameras seemed to take a step back in time. Even disregarding the underwhelming 4MP under-display camera on the front for a while, the Galaxy Z Fold 3's camera trio was borrowed wholesale from the Galaxy Z Fold 2 from 2020. That's not to say that its photography performance was terrible, just not something you'd expect from Samsung's most expensive phone.
It seems the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will redeem many of the sins of its predecessor, though it will still have no home for the S Pen inside it. The battery will reportedly be just a tiny bit smaller than last year's model, but the phone itself will also likely be a bit smaller, though more energy-efficient. The biggest upgrade, however, may be in the camera department, where it might finally follow the Galaxy S22's lead.
Flagship cameras in a pricey foldable
The reliable @Ice universe shared in a tweet what is claimed to be the final set of camera specs for the next foldable Samsung smartphone. The leak alleges the model will feature a 50MP main shooter, a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 10MP telephoto camera capable of 3x optical zoom. If those figures sound familiar, that's because they're pretty much the same specs found on the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+. There could be a few minor differences we don't know about yet, but it will at least be on par with this year's Samsung flagships.
But wait, there's more! The tipster also claims in a second tweet that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 model's 3x telephoto camera will be better than the Galaxy S22+ model's 3x telephoto camera, even going as far as calling it Samsung's strongest 3x telephoto camera yet. If that's the case, this might be one area where the foldable phone will even outdo the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which has a 10MP 3x zoom camera only.
That said, the leak also comes with the rather disappointing revelation that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 won't inherit the 108MP camera of the Ultra flagship. There might not be enough space for that rather huge sensor, so Samsung had to make yet another compromise. Then again, a 50MP camera like that of the base Galaxy S22 models would still be a significant upgrade compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 3 model's modest 10MP sensor, especially if the newer sensor comes with other upgrades as well.