But the real question is whether the Fold 4 can stand the test of time. Samsung has made significant strides towards improving the durability of its foldable device lineup by making them water resistant as well as adding stronger displays with a stiffer aluminum frame. And while the company has released videos — both this year and last — designed to inspire confidence about the durability of its devices, they still don’t mention how well they’ll hold up over years of use. Users have reported experiencing several issues, including cracked screens and noticeable creases, shortly after purchasing new Galaxy Z Flip 3 or Fold 3 devices last year. But even if users didn’t experience problems when they bought the foldable last year, for some owners, they are starting to appear now. Zoe Kleinman, technology editor at the BBC, tweeted that her Galaxy Z Flip 3 has developed a crack where the device breaks, rendering both the bottom and top halves of the device unusable. Several users on Reddit have also found themselves in similar situations months after purchasing them. The launch of the first Galaxy Z Fold in 2019 was significantly delayed due to a faulty screen, and Samsung has obviously come a long way since then. While Samsung touts its Z Fold 4 as “incredible technology built to last,” it describes its Z Flip 4 as “serious durability.” [that] allows you to bend and flip as well as possible” and lasts you 200,000 times. While this may be true in laboratory conditions, day-to-day wear over a long period of time may be more difficult to predict. Fortunately, Samsung has dropped the cost of repairing screens on the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Fold 4 to $29 — but only if you subscribe to Samsung’s Care Plus service, which costs $8 to $11/month, depending on the device you’re using . I bought. Without the plan (and if you’re not covered under warranty), you could pay $499 to replace the Z Fold 4’s internal display or $357 to repair it. The Z Flip 4 is slightly cheaper, costing $349 for an internal screen replacement and $219 for a repair. First- and second-generation Flip and Fold devices (assuming you still have one that doesn’t need replacing yet) are eligible for cheaper disposable screen replacements starting at $119, however.
