Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Every Foldable Screen Phone＊s Future Inspiration

Beyond all the hype and buzzwords accompanying every new phone launch, even customers now realize that deep down all smartphones look and feel the same. There＊s no breath of fresh air on the horizon, no reimagining of the possibilities. Until you hold the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 in your hands.

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The quintessential full-touchscreen candybar design of the modern smartphone has reached a saturation point over the past 15 years, as flip phones and physical keyboards faded away. Nothing announces the era of foldable screen smartphones better than the exceptional Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. It＊s unlike any other phone you＊ve used, hands down.

There＊s plenty to like about the Galaxy Z Fold 3, even though it＊s not 100% perfect. If you thought the Galaxy Z Flip 3 was amazing, think of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 as its over-achieving big brother 每 everything the Flip 3 does the Fold 3 does better. I summarize my highlights of the game-changing device after using it for over a month (longer than a regular review sample), and how history might judge it in the future.

Foldable screen

It isn＊t every day you come across a phone that takes your breath away, making you feel like a child agape with wonder, but the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has that effect on pretty much everyone. And a lot of it boils down to its foldable screen.

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Just like the Galaxy Z Flip 3, the Z Fold 3＊s screen bends and contorts in an unconventional manner which is central to its entire appeal. But where the Flip 3 opens up vertically, the Fold 3 transforms from a phone to a mini-tablet horizontally. What＊s even more impressive is the Z Fold 3＊s screen effect 每 if it were a book, the Fold 3＊s screen appears to spill beyond the cover and wraps into the inside left and right halves, divided by a slightly indented spine crease of an otherwise single unbroken screen layer. Seen this way, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is marvelous to behold, a real feat of industrial design and cutting-edge engineering, where the adjectives and exaggerated hyperboles feel justified.

Opening and closing the Galaxy Z Fold 3＊s foldable screen never gets old, and yes it feels bulkier than any self-respecting flagship smartphone ought to be in 2021. But it＊s far from a deal-breaker for a foldable concept that finally marries form with function better than anything out there on the market. Where the Galaxy Z Flip 3 feels high on nostalgia, the Fold 3＊s bendable screen experience feels bolder and sophisticated, heralding the myriad possibilities of using a foldable screen phone as your daily driver in the not-too-distant future. For this reason alone, the Galaxy Z Fold 3＊s experience is so exciting.

No gimmick stylus

I remember using the S Pen on the Galaxy Note 5 over half a decade ago, where it felt quite pointless, largely a gimmick. Not just older S Pen implementations, my fundamental problem with styluses as a navigational tool in the past was they felt clunky, inconvenient and time consuming 每 basically, poor excuses for not touching the screen with your fingers directly. But that＊s no longer the case with the S Pen experience on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.

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The S Pen＊s another impressive example of engineering problem-solving on the Fold 3＊s foldable screen 每 how smoothly it traces, tracks and responds to the fine-tip stylus touch. The crease running along the centre of the unfolded screen isn＊t a dead zone, Samsung has ensured this with clever use of software.

The learning curve on the stylus can be compared to the trackpoint on a ThinkPad 每 you＊ll get used to it within a day and wonder why on earth every phone (or laptop keyboard) doesn＊t support it out of the box. The stylus on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is super accurate and makes navigating the device extremely intuitive, whether you＊re sketching a digital painting or annotating a document.

Everything is great except the decision to make the S Pen an optional purchase, which means it doesn＊t have the super-convenient physical compartment inside the Galaxy Z Fold 3 unit like Galaxy Note devices of the past.

Tablet mode unleashed

In many ways, the fundamental question the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 tries to answer with its foldable screen implementation is whether you need to buy a separate tablet at all. If your futuristic smartphone can instantly expand its dimensions to a very respectable 7.6-inch panel, why clutter your life with a separate tablet device for a few more inches?

While it＊s not perfect in its re-imagining of a smartphone-tablet hybrid, the Galaxy Z Fold 3＊s definitely the most compelling concept that tests your tablet allegiance from a foldable screen perspective.

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Whether it＊s reading an online article or an e-book, watching a movie on Netflix or gaming or just doodling mindlessly, the unfolded Galaxy Z Fold 3＊s display does all these tasks pretty well. The increased screen real-estate makes everything from typing to attending a video call a much better experience on the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

Beyond what any other smartphone can offer, the wider unfolded screen of the Z Fold 3 feels a lot closer to being a tablet substitute than it has ever done before in previous iterations. And even after extended use, the bendable screen of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 still feels brand new.

In the admiration of hardware and industrial design, the software shouldn＊t be forgotten 每 it needs deserving praise. The Galaxy Z Fold 3＊s experience comes to life not just by cutting edge hardware, but also Samsung＊s One UI which enables it to shine. Paired with the stylus, the One UI tweaks make the device＊s tablet experience more wholesome 每 apps adjust to show a tablet UI, Samsung＊s apps take full advantage of the split screen real-estate, and the swipe-out ※task bar§ along the right edge adds a whole new level of quick tasks in a more efficient manner. It all clicks together and makes sense, especially when you navigate the Galaxy Z Fold 3＊s unfolded screen with a stylus.

All inside a flagship smartphone shell

Beyond its futuristic foldable screen allure, at its heart the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is still an excellent flagship smartphone that＊s 5G-ready, with very good camera and video performance to take on the best in the market.

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Given its larger screen real-estate, the device＊s battery life isn＊t the best; its front camera can be better; and it's not thin enough in the pocket 每 but all these are minor blemishes, not deal breakers, in a device that＊s bringing a futuristic concept to life. I＊m sure some of these areas will be improved upon in the future Galaxy Z Fold update.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 for me is a genre-defining moment, much like the iPhone was back when it debuted in 2007. I like how the Galaxy Z Fold 3 intelligently goes beyond the Galaxy Z Flip 3 in the mega-phablet territory with a stylus experience that doesn＊t feel forced.

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Much like the iPhone aggregated several devices into one unbeatable package for so long, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 will be cherished as the first premium smartphone to incorporate a fully-functional foldable screen that actually made sense to use, which tried to squeeze in a tablet inside a truly innovative smartphone experience like no other.

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