August 10 is going to be a big day for Samsung fans, as we're getting the formal unveiling of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 (and more besides). Ahead of the event, a new leak has revealed some of the official cases we can expect to see launching alongside the foldable phones.
As spotted by SamMobile, one retailer in Germany has already started listing a few accessories for both the Z Fold 4 and the Z Flip 4, showing off different elements of the design of both smartphones at the same time.
These cases don't seem to have changed massively from those we got with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, suggesting that there haven't been any major shifts in the designs of the foldable handsets either.
Cases and pricing
For the Galaxy Z Fold 4, it looks as though there's a Slim Standing Cover that does double duty as a case and a stand for the device, and according to the retailer that's going to go on sale for €43.47 (about $45 / £37 / AU$64). A single piece protector, meanwhile, will cost €19.13 ($20 / £16 / AU$28).
When it comes to the Galaxy Z Flip 4, there's a Flap Leather Cover for €72.84 (about $74 / £61/ AU$107), and a Clear Cover with Ring for €28.72 (about $29 / £24 / AU$42). These prices might just be placeholders or tentative estimates however, and might differ when the accessories actually go on sale.
We don't have long to wait until August 10, and we're going to get to see the Galaxy Watch 5, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, and the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro at the same event as well. We'll bring you all the announcements as they're made, along with details of any accessories that Samsung is unveiling too.
Analysis: the importance of an ecosystem
Samsung certainly isn't shy of pushing out a suite of accessories and add-ons alongside its main devices – it knows the importance of offering not just phones, tablets, smartwatches and all the rest, but also complementary products to go alongside them.
Apple is leading the way here, with laptops and phones and smartwatches and tracking devices and streaming boxes, all working seamlessly with each other. Plus, there are plenty of official cases and chargers and cables for users to pick through too.
You can see that this is something that Google is trying to emulate. Google hasn't always been able to get hardware right, but the Google Pixel 6 was seen as a success for the company, and it's bringing out the Pixel Watch as well later in the year.
One edge that Samsung does have over both of these competitors is that it has two well-established foldable phones in its line-up – available in various colors and with various accessories as well. While both Apple and Google are expected to launch folding phones at some point, Samsung has a clear head start here.
Source: TechRadar