The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the latest in a long line of Samsung foldables to go through JerryRigEverything’s torture test, which includes razor blades, lighters, and handfuls of dirt. The Fold 4, like the Fold 3 and Fold 2, survived the test, albeit with a few scratches and some burnt-up pixels.
The real question, however, is whether the Fold 4 will stand the test of time. Samsung has taken significant steps to improve the durability of its foldable product lines, including making them water resistant and adding stronger screens with a more rigid aluminum frame.
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And, while the company has released videos this year and last to instill confidence in the durability of its devices, they still don’t indicate how well they’ll hold up over time.
Ah ok bottom half not doing so great either pic.twitter.com/6Y8MssXBdv
— Zoe Kleinman (@zsk) August 29, 2022
After purchasing new Galaxy Z Flip 3 or Fold 3 devices last year, users reported a variety of issues, including cracked screens and visible creases. Even if users didn’t have problems when they bought the foldable last year, they’re starting to appear now for some owners.
Zoe Kleinman, a BBC technology editor, tweeted that her Galaxy Z Flip 3 has developed a crack where the device creases, rendering both the bottom and top halves unusable. Several Reddit users have been put in similar situations months after their purchase.
The initial Galaxy Z Fold release in 2019 was significantly delayed due to a faulty screen, and Samsung has obviously come a long way since then.
While Samsung promotes the Z Fold 4 as “unbelievable tech built to last,” the Z Flip 4 is described as having “serious durability [that] lets you flex and flip to your heart’s content” and lasting 200,000 folds.
While this may be true in laboratory conditions, everyday wear and tear over time can be more difficult to predict.
Thankfully, Samsung has reduced the cost of repairing the 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 per month depending on the device.
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Without the plan (and assuming you’re not covered under warranty), you could end up paying $499 to replace the inner screen of the Z Fold 4 or $357 to repair it. The Z Flip 4 is slightly less expensive, with an inner screen replacement costing $349 and a repair costing $219.
However, first and second-generation Flip and Fold devices (assuming you still have one that hasn’t needed a replacement) are eligible for less expensive one-time screen replacements starting at $119.
