I recently received a used Galaxy Z Flip 4 from a friend.
Whenever my friend gets a new phone, they give me their old one.
This time, they handed over a Galaxy Z Flip 4 that’s just over two years old.
I’ve been happily using the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy Note 10 Plus that I received from this same friend, so I was excited to get another device with remaining OS upgrade support. However, I was also a bit puzzled.
My friend told me they had just upgraded to the Galaxy S25 Ultra because the Z Flip 4 had started experiencing intermittent power-off issues and wouldn’t fully unfold.
he said they couldn’t use it with peace of mind anymore and wouldn’t be buying a foldable phone again.
The phone itself was in pristine condition.
My friend is very careful with their devices, which is why all the phones I’ve received from them have been in great shape.
When I laid the phone face down, unfolded, there was a noticeable gap. It wouldn’t lie completely flat, as if something was caught inside.
I checked the hinge for any signs of impact, but there were none.
Visiting a Samsung Service Center
Given the folding design, I suspected a durability issue. I took the phone to a Samsung Service Center, and my suspicions were confirmed. The technician said the problem was with the internal hinge cable, likely damaged from repeated folding and unfolding.
Since the phone was more than two years old, it was no longer covered by the free warranty. I was told that while the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and later models allow for just the hinge cable to be replaced, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 requires the entire assembly to be replaced. They asked if I had a Care Plus insurance plan and quoted a repair cost of around 380,000 KRW, which came down to just under 290,000 KRW after various discounts.
A repair cost of 290,000 KRW is more than the second-hand market value of a used Galaxy Z Flip 4, so I decided to decline the repair and left.
The Chronic Flaws of the Galaxy Z Flip 4
The fact that only the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and newer models allow for a separate hinge cable replacement suggests that users of the Z Flip 1 through 4 have likely faced similar problems.
I remember reading articles about how these phones were tested for tens of thousands of folds to ensure durability, but it seems that isn’t the case. If you search for “Galaxy Z Flip sudden power off” or “Galaxy Z Flip won’t unfold,” you’ll find plenty of posts from users experiencing these very issues.
If these problems occur within the two-year warranty period, you can get a free repair and potentially use the phone for another year or two. But if they happen after the warranty expires, you’re faced with a significant repair bill. It seems for now, it’s best to hold off on buying foldable phones like the Flip or Fold.
In the meantime, I’ve decided to just use this Galaxy Z Flip 4 while it’s unfolded. It still has OS upgrade support, and the AP chipset performance is more than enough for my needs. I’m afraid to fold and unfold it, as it might power off and never turn back on.
After setting up the phone and completing all the updates, I discovered another issue. The bottom right speaker is dead. This is likely another consequence of the repeated folding and unfolding, which probably damaged the related speaker cable as well.