Samsung hopes buyers will flip over its latest foldable phones

Samsung has unleashed its latest fleet of foldable phones and smart watches this week, with the much-hyped Galaxy Z Fold4 debuting with boosted battery life and upgraded cameras ideal for travelling, in addition to a sleek Watch 5 Pro now offering enhanced health monitoring.

Announced on Wednesday at a live-streamed event, the high-tech gadgets were also joined by the Buds 2 Pro noise-cancelling earbuds – destined to be spotted on a flight near you – and the clamshell Flip4 phone, which has a strong emphasis on customisation.

Executive Traveller was invited to an early hands-on preview of the new devices.

Samsung's new Flip 4 and Fold 4 phones are packed full of handy travel features.

Although quite similar to the previous model at first glance, the Fold 4 ‘folding tablet’ now feels more phone-like when closed thanks to its wider front screen, reduced weight and slimmer hinge. The fold crease is also much less obtrusive than before.

A new PC-like taskbar makes multitasking easier, while new swipe gestures make it more intuitive to switch between apps, toggle between full screen and pop-up windows, and split your screen in half.

The Fold 4 is a multitasking powerhouse perfect for life on the road.

Under-the-hood is a new Android 12L operating system – specifically created for large-screens, plus a top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor for improved performance and battery life.

Keen photographers will appreciate the upgraded 50MP wide lens and 30x Space Zoom17 lens, as well as a variety of camera modes including the handy Dual Preview, which lets you use both the front and rear cameras at the same time (like when setting up a photo).

A larger outside screen and shorter body make it more comfortable in your hand.

The Flip 4, on the other hand, boasts a slimmer hinge, straightened edges, contrasting back glass and glossy metal frames. Hands-free video and photography – particularly for social media – is also a strong focus, thanks to the addition of ‘FlexCam’.

Available in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB memory variants, Galaxy Z Fold4 starts from $2,499, while the Flip4 starts from $1,499 in 128GB and 256GB variants.

Samsung's newest smartwatch is available in two models: the standard Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro.

The durable and feature-packed Watch 5 Pro – one of two Watch 5 models released – combines the best of smart watches and fitness travellers with powerful health sensors monitoring heart rate, blood oxygen level, and even stress.

Based on our experience with it, the watch’s titanium case was remarkably light, giving it a similar weight to a mechanical watch.

It also felt great on the wrist, and the 80 hour battery life means you won't need to charge it every day.

Available September 2, the Watch 5 series starts at $499 for the Bluetooth version and $599 for the LTE of the standard model, while the Watch 5 Pro is from $799 for the Bluetooth version and $849 for the LTE.

The top-of-the-line Galaxy Buds2 Pro earbuds are 15% smaller than the previous model.

Rounding out the releases is the Buds2 Pro from $349. Sporting a new compact design, they feature active noise cancellation and Hi-Fi 24bit Audio26, as well as the Auto Switch function to swap from watching a video to taking a call with a touch of a finger.

All devices are on sale from September 2, with pre-orders open now.