Over the weekend, Samsung officially shared a two-minute in-factory video showing how the new Galaxy Z Fold4 / Galaxy Z Flip4, announced earlier this month, passed a series of official feature tests. But for the average consumer, it’s more interesting to know how durable the new generation of folding screen smartphones will be for long-term use. With that in mind, JerryRigEverything, a well-known oil pipe channel, was quick to get its hands on a Galaxy Z Fold4 and put it through a series of violent tests.
Based on the channel’s classic testing process, the Galaxy Z Fold4 was put through its paces with knife scratches, fire and mud spills along the way.
Despite leaving a number of scratches and burned pixels, JerryRigEverything believes it passed the test as well as the last two generations of Galaxy Z Fold models.
Since the release of the initial folding screen smartphone, Samsung has reportedly been working to improve the durability of the device, introducing features such as water resistance and a more robust aluminum screen frame for it.
Yet the Galaxy Z Fold3 / Galaxy Z Flip3, launched last year, still received complaints including screen breakage and overly visible creases shortly after its sale.
While everything is probable, consumers obviously don’t want to be the unlucky ones. Reports on social media indicate that some users’ Galaxy Z Flip3s have developed severe cracks in the creases after prolonged use.
BBC tech editor Zoe Kleinman, for example, has seen her Galaxy Z Flip3 become unusable on both the top and bottom halves of the device, and some users on Reddit have also reported the same problem months after purchase.
In fact, back in 2019, Samsung delayed the release of the initial Galaxy Z Fold folding screen smartphone due to a screen defect.
So even though the Galaxy Z Fold4 is officially claimed to have “durable and incredible technology” and the Galaxy Z Flip4 is described as having “excellent durability and allows for bending and flipping at will,” potential consumers are concerned. Potential consumers still have concerns in this regard.
Under ideal laboratory conditions, a sustained folding life of 200,000 cycles is a real eye-catcher. But with extended daily use, the wear and tear is much more unpredictable.
Thankfully, Samsung has reduced the cost of in-warranty screen replacement for the Galaxy Z Fold4 / Galaxy Z Flip4 to $29 — provided you purchase the official Care Plus service (which ranges from $8 to $11 per month, depending on the device).
