Samsung's new foldables come out this month

Samsung Electronics announced its newest foldable smartphones, which are supposed to be more affordable. The releases are crucial for the tech giant to shore up its premium user base as Apple continues to dominate the high-end smartphone market.

Roh Tae-moon, head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business, holds a Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 during an Unpacked event, which was held virtually on Wednesday. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Samsung Electronics announced its newest foldable smartphones, which are supposed to be more durable and affordable. They will be going on sale on Aug. 27.

The releases, announced at a virtual Unpacked event on Wednesday, are crucial for the tech giant to shore up its premium user base as Apple continues to dominate the high-end smartphone market with its iPhones.

Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Z Fold 3 [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

A major selling point of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 are lower price tags. The Z Fold 3 starts from $1,799.99 compared to the Fold 2’s $1,999.99. The Z Flip 3 starts at $999.99 versus the Flip 2’s $1,380.

The smartphone maker changed the devices' frames to make them less fragile, which turned off many potential buyers in the past. The Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 are water resistant and capable of being immersed deeper than 1 meter (3.28 feet), according to the company.

The pair will be encased in a material called Armor Aluminum, which is designed to protect against scratches and drops, and also have a new protective film made of stretchable polyethylene terephthalate.

Another notable addition for the Z Fold 3 is the S Pen stylus. It will be sold separately for 55,000 won ($48) for the basic model and 121,000 won for a Bluetooth-enabled model called the S Pro.

Galaxy Z Flip 3 [Samsung Electronics]

For the clamshell-shaped Z Flip3, a big upgrade is in the size of its outside screen.

The external display is 1.9 inches compared to a 1.1 inch panel on the previous Z Flip. Many users complained that the basic information it displayed, like the time, notifications of text messages and system alerts, was too small to read. Its main display is 6.9 inch, the same as before.

The Z Fold 3 features a 7.6-inch main screen when unfolded with a 6.2 inch outer screen on par with its predecessor.

For cameras, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a triple rear camera that includes a 12-megapixel primary sensor, along with a 12-megapixel secondary sensor with a telephoto lens and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor.

For the main, unfolded display, Samsung has managed to hide a camera beneath the display to be used for selfies. It packs a 4-megapixel sensor.

The front cover of the phone also has a 10-megapixel selfie camera.

The Z Flip 3 will feature a dual rear camera with a 12-megapixel primary sensor and a 12-megapixel wide-angle sensor, on top of 10-megapixel front-facing camera.

Roh Tae-moon, head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business, who presented the products during the online event, said a lot is on the line. “As a pioneer and industry leader in the foldable category, we’re proud to build on our legacy of innovation with the Z Fold3 and Z Flip3,” he said. “These devices equip consumers with technologies that unlock new ways to maximize and enjoy every moment with an ecosystem built on openness and innovation,” he added.

The phones go on sale on Aug. 27 in certain markets including Korea, the U.S. and Europe and later in other markets.

BY PARK EUN-JEE [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]

BY PARK EUN-JEE [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]