Unlike lettuce, Samsung's new foldables haven't gotten more expensive ...mostly

Everything has been getting more expensive these days. Whether it's lettuce or a phone plan, it feels like we're paying more than we were a year ago. Foldable phones have never been cheap, but with its fourth generation of bendy devices, Samsung has kept prices mostly in line with last year's models.

Both the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 start at the same price as their predecessors. That's $1,499 for the Z Flip 4, and $2,499 for the Z Fold 4. Higher storage variants are however $50 more expensive. 

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, pre-orders for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 start on August 11 ahead of a September 2 release date. Unsurprisingly, there are a whole lot of pre-order bonuses.

No matter where you pre-order from, you'll get a free memory upgrade. For example, if you order a 256GB Galaxy Z Flip 4, you'll get the 512GB model at no extra cost. 

On top of this, Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone are all running their own unique pre-order offers.

If you pre-order either phone from Telstra, you'll score the newly announced Galaxy Watch 5 for free, valued at up to $649.  

If you pre-order either phone from Optus, you'll get a bonus Galaxy Tab A8 valued at $529. 

If you pre-order from Vodafone, you can get up to $500 of extra trade-in credit with the Galaxy Z Flip 4, or $700 of extra trade-in credit with the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Vodafone will also throw in a bonus Samsung Trio Wireless Charger. 

If you pre-order from Woolworths Mobile, you can save $240 on the 128GB Galaxy Z Flip 4, $350 on the 256GB model, and $440 on the 512GB model. If you're after the larger lad, you can save $350 on the 256GB Galaxy Z Fold 4, or $550 on the 512GB model. Woolworths is the one telco not offering free storage upgrades, but the discounts means this comes out in the wash anyway. If you're an existing customer upgrading to a Zlip 4 or Z Fold 4 plan, you'll get a $100 Wish gift card.

Going direct through Samsung gets you a $100 or $150 instant credit toward a Galaxy Tablet, Watch, or Buds, as well as 50% off Samsung Care+. The larger credit comes with the Z Fold 4. You can also save 25% off eligible cases.

Complete outright pricing for the phones is as follows:

Here's a selection of popular Galaxy Z Flip 4 plans:

And here's a selection of popular Galaxy Z Fold 4 plans:

When it comes to the devices themselves, Samsung is once again claiming the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 are its toughest foldables to date. The front and rear glass is now Gorilla Glass Victus+ (up from regular old Victus), and the internal screens are said to have an "optimised layer structure" to reduce damage from external shock. 

Like last year's devices, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 are both rated IPX8 for water resistance, which means they can be submerged as deep as 1.5m for up to 30 minutes. 

The Galaxy Z Fold 4's biggest improvement is a new rear-camera setup, borrowed from the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+. It features a 50MP primary lens, 12MP ultra-wide lens, and 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. While this isn't Samsung's best camera setup - that's the Galaxy S22 Ultra - it still represents a step up compared to previous generations. 

While the Galaxy Z Fold 4 still features S Pen support, Samsung defied rumours and hasn't integrated the stylus into the body of the phone. If you're hoping to get an S Pen for your Z Fold 4, it will cost you extra. 

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is almost a dead ringer for the Galaxy Z Flip 3, but benefits from a larger battery. This time around it packs a 3,700mAh cell, which is a 400mAh upgrade on last year. Battery was easily the Z Flip 3's biggest weakness, so the larger capacity seems promising on paper. 

In addition, Samsung has upgraded the sensor size for the Galaxy Z Flip 4 primary camera, and says it takes 65% brighter photos in low light. 

Here are the complete specs for both phones:

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is available in a choice of Graphite, Blue, Pink Gold, and Bora Purple. You can also customise your own "Bespoke" Galaxy Z Flip 4 on the Samsung website. This will set you back $1,729 and get you a 256GB configuration. 

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is available in a choice of Phantom Black, "Greygreen", and Beige. There's also an exclusive Burgundy model available through the Samsung website. 

In addition to new foldables, Samsung also announced Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and the Galaxy Watch 5 series.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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