HYDERABAD, India, Feb. 7, 2021 — Tanla Platforms Limited today announced its results for the quarter ended 31 December 2020 in comparison with the same period the previous financial year.
Key Metrics
Revenues were Rs 654.1 crore, up by 21% EBITDA was Rs 126.9 crore, up by 99%
Net profit was Rs 93.5 crore, up from Rs 0.7 crore
Cash and cash equivalents were Rs 449.3 crore, up from Rs 204.8 crore Earnings Per Share was Rs 6.87, up from Rs 0.05
Uday Reddy, Chairman & CEO of Tanla Platforms Limited said, "The quarterly results demonstrate the depth of Tanla’s capabilities in the platforms and commercial communications domain. Our unwavering focus, and investment in platforms and products, people, customer success and brand have all led to us posting the best quarterly performance till date. With our market position stronger than ever before, we are committed in our decision to expand our global footprint in the CPaaS business."
"Trubloq, the DLT platform built to enforce the TRAI regulation has seen massive adoption across enterprises, telemarketers and telcos. To date, we have onboarded more than 34,000 enterprises. Trubloq was only launched commercially in September, and now processes over 70% of A2P traffic in India, topping 1 Billion interactions in a single day last month. Trubloq significantly bolstered Tanla’s revenues in the third quarter.
"Data security, data privacy and traceability of digital footprint are no longer just compliance requirements, rather fast emerging as a potential source of competitive advantage and so are becoming a strategic priority for organisations. The Wisely platform, our latest offering launched in January ensures that end users data security and data privacy is never compromised when sending and receiving commercial communications. Wisely is on its way to "Uberize" the CPaaS ecosystem."
Financial Highlights
India’s largest CPaaS provider delivered its best third quarter revenues.
On a year-on-year basis, revenues grew 21% to Rs 654.1 crore accounting for more than a third of last year’s annual revenues. The EBITDA was up by 99% to Rs 126.9 crore for the same period, crossing the Rs 100 crore mark for the first time. The company reported a highest ever net profit of Rs 93.5 crore.
EBITDA to cash conversion was 78% and cash generated from operating activities was Rs
225.2 crore, for the quarter. Tanla & all of its subsidiaries continue to remain debt free.
Business Highlights
Tanla’s growth in business for the quarter was propelled by 81 new client opportunities. These
new deals could augment the annual revenue by Rs 90 crore.
Early January, Tanla also marked a significant milestone in the platforms business with the launch of Wisely, a blockchain-enabled CPaaS offering built & architected by Microsoft. As a unique marketplace for enterprises and suppliers, Wisely offers a global edge-to-edge network that delivers private, secure, and trusted communication experiences. It was the first time that an Indian technology company released a disruptive platform for global adoption.
New Enterprise Wins
Tanla’s new enterprise wins came from eight sectors for the quarter. Banking, fintech, retail and e-commerce accounted for more than 50% of new enterprise wins.
Consumer goods and automobile, communications and entertainment, and BFSI sectors top the list of 6,278 enterprises that registered on Trubloq in Q3 alone.
Responding to COVID-19
During these trying periods, we focused on keeping our employees safe, encouraging them to work from home by providing them with adequate technology and infrastructure. Even as we worked remotely, we made certain that the needs of our customers and partners were always met and everybody remained engaged, healthy, and productive in their new working environment.
About Tanla:
Tanla Platforms Limited (NSE:TANLA; BSE:532790) transforms the way the world collaborates and communicates through innovative CPaaS solutions. Founded in 1999, it was the first company to develop and deploy A2P SMSC in India. Today, as one of the world’s largest CPaaS players, Tanla processes more than 800 billion interactions annually and about 70% of India’s A2P SMS traffic is processed through its distributed ledger platform-Trubloq, making it the world’s largest Blockchain use case. Tanla touches over a billion lives carrying mission critical messages meeting the needs of the world’s largest enterprises. Tanla Platforms Limited is headquartered in Hyderabad, India and is expanding its presence globally.
Consolidated Profit and Loss (Un-audited):
Rs in Lakhs
Particulars
Q3FY21
Q3FY21
Q2FY20
I. Revenue from operations
65,411.2
58,324.7
53,903.9
II. Other income
242.5
474.5
222.7
III. Total Income (I+II)
65,653.8
58,799.1
54,126.6
IV. Expenses
Cost of services
49,296.8
44,891.7
43,510.6
Employee benefits expense
2,003.5
2,283.3
1,826.4
Depreciation expense
892.1
992.3
7,083.9
Connectivity expenses
286.4
280.8
203.8
Finance cost
17.4
8.9
183.9
Other expenses
1,136.3
1,115.7
1,994.2
Total expenses (IV)
53,632.5
49,572.6
54,802.7
V. Profit before tax (III – IV)
12,021.3
9,226.5
(676.2)
VI. Tax expense:
Current tax
1,680.4
1,053.2
(464.7)
Prior period taxes/MAT credit
–
–
30.6
Deferred tax
988.9
26.0
(310.2)
VII. Profit for the year (V -VI)
9,351.9
8,147.3
68.2
VIII. Other comprehensive income
(173.0)
(330.5)
51.1
IX. Total Comprehensive income for the period (VII + VIII)
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 6, 2021 — H3C, a leader in digital solutions has initiated its second virtual event of the year in Pakistan — H3C Channel Kickoff 2021, Moving your business forward. The virtual event encourages global partners to "Move their business forward" by embracing new challenges and seizing opportunities alike, to jointly create more business value with H3C in the new year and beyond. In Pakistan, H3C has successfully certified more than 30 partners and over 60 engineers, and representatives of local partners and industry customers joined the virtual event.
H3C Channel Kickoff 2021 Pakistan event was launched on February 4. The virtual event encourages global partners to “Move their business forward” by embracing new challenges and seizing opportunities alike, to jointly create more business value with H3C in the new year and beyond.
"Since its official entry into the Pakistani market in 2019, H3C has been paving the way to support local customers in accelerating their digital transformation. We have made significant investments in the development of the local partner ecosystem, staff team and service system. Thanks to this, we have received increasing support from our partners," said Davis Hui, the Head of H3C Global Channel Management.
"In addition to the latest products and solutions, H3C will continue to provide Pakistani customers with advanced ICT experiences building on our wealth of accumulated knowledge across various industries. H3C will also promote ecologically favorable policies, support local business partners to successfully complete digital transformation in the digital age, and leverage the power of digital to enhance inclusiveness."
During the virtual event, H3C hosted the 2020 Partners Awards to recognize the important contributions of its Pakistan partners over the past year. Six of H3C’s Pakistani partners received the Top Sales Elite Award, Industrial Market Development Award, Solution Sales Elite Award, Top Service Sales and Delivery Award, and lastly, the Best Collaboration Award.
At the awarding ceremony, representative of the award winners said that, "It is a great honor to receive this award from H3C. H3C has a full portfolio of digital infrastructure products as well as a comprehensive one-stop digital platform in ICT field. H3C, relying on its high-quality products and professional team, has won the trust of an increasing number of customers across various industries here in Pakistan. We firmly believe that H3C will achieve greater success in the digital future, and we will also develop closer cooperation with H3C."
H3C also shared its Digital Brain Project 2020 in Pakistan, demonstrating the leading capabilities of its "AI in ALL" intelligence strategy. The strategy aims to develop innovative smart applications with ecosystem partners and build digital brains for customers in their respective domains. It relies on Smart Digital Platforms composed of Digital Infrastructure, Business Empowerment Platforms, Active Security, and Unified O&M Services.
For the Pakistani market, H3C launched a Cloud-based management platform, Cloudnet, which will make it easier to manage H3C Wireless Lan (WLAN) devices, switches and routers. H3C also provides Blade server B16000, designed for fast-growing enterprises with the combination of powerful performance, added flexibility, unified management, and greater reduction of total cost of ownership (TCO). For small and medium-sized enterprises in Pakistan, H3C provides the latest generation version of UIS (Unified Infrastructure System) 7.0 with 4 new engines and 3 types of hardware, which combines almost all important elements in the data center, namely computing, storage, network, security, O&M and cloud, into a single box.
H3C Channel Kickoff 2021 is also scheduled to take place in additional markets such as Russia and Turkey, among others. The initiative embraces the power of digitalization with customers and partners worldwide, promoting the development of the entire ecosystem. In the future, H3C will further develop and expand its ICT ecosystem, including increasing support and capacity for overseas partners, working together to provide customers with more options, and contributing to the prosperity and development of the global digital economy.
About H3C
H3C is an industry leader in the provision of Digital Solutions and is committed to becoming the most trusted partner to the customers in their quest for business innovation and digital transformation. H3C offers a full portfolio of Digital Infrastructure products, spanning across compute, storage, networking, security and related domains, and provides a comprehensive one-stop digital platform that includes cloud computing, big data, interconnectivity, information security, new safety, Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G solutions, as well as end-to-end technical services.
CHENGDU, China, Feb. 5, 2021 — Senmiao Technology Limited ("Senmiao") (NASDAQ: AIHS), a provider of automobile transaction and related services targeting the online ride-hailing industry in China as well as an operator of its own online ride-hailing platform, today announced the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement that expands upon a previously announced partnership with Shanghai Lutuan Technology, an affiliate of Meituan (HK: 3690). Meituan is China’s leading e-commerce platform for services, focused on its "Food + Platform" strategy to build a multi-level technology service platform.
Following the initial success of the Senmiao-Meituan cooperation in Chengdu, this new strategic cooperation agreement sets the framework for future collaborations between the parties in other cities in China. As part of its strategy, Senmiao next anticipates building out a total solution for ride-hailing drivers in Guangzhou, which will include financing arrangements, rentals, integration of safety features, as well as the launch and development of Senmiao’s proprietary online ride-sharing platform.
If Senmiao’s platform is selected by the rider or by the Meituan application, the order will then be distributed to registered drivers on the platform for viewing and acceptance. Senmiao earns commissions for each completed order based on a certain percentage of the value of the order.
Xi Wen, Senmiao’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are thrilled to have established this framework for expanding our cooperation with Meituan. We believe this is a testament to the positive results and feedback we have received from our initial work with Meituan in Chengdu, and we look forward to bringing the same type of excellent service and convenience to people in Guangzhou and beyond. We believe Meituan’s leading platform provides Senmiao with the significant exposure needed to drive our online ride-sharing platform’s growth as a mobile ride-hailing service in China. At the same time, we look forward to bringing increased value and accessibility to Meituan users all over China through this cooperation."
About Senmiao Technology Limited
Headquartered in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, Senmiao provides automobile transaction and related services including sales of automobiles, facilitation and services for automobile purchase and financing, management, operating lease, guarantee and other automobile transaction services. Senmiao also operates its own ride-hailing platform aimed principally at the growing online ride-hailing market in Senmiao’s areas of operation in China. For more information about Senmiao, please visit: http://www.senmiaotech.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements also are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those detailed from time to time in the Senmiao’s filings with the SEC, and represent Senmiao’s views only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing Senmiao’s views as of any subsequent date. Senmiao undertakes no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in events or circumstances.
BEIJING, Feb. 5, 2021 — Luokung Technology Corp. (the "Company" or "Luokung") (NASDAQ: LKCO), today announced that it has entered into a securities purchase agreement with certain institutional investors for a registered direct offering of $5.0 million of ordinary shares at a price of $0.52 per share. The Company will issue a total of 9,615,387 ordinary shares to the institutional investors. As part of the transaction, the Company will also issue to the investors warrants ("Warrants") for the purchase of up to 4,807,694 ordinary shares at an exercise price of $0.68 per share, which Warrants will have a term of three years from the date of issuance.
The net proceeds from this offering will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. The offering is expected to close on or about February 9, 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
FT Global Capital, Inc. acted as the exclusive placement agent for the transaction.
These securities are being offered through a prospectus supplement pursuant to the Company’s effective shelf registration statement and base prospectus contained therein. A shelf registration statement (SEC Filing No. 333-233108) relating to these securities has been filed with and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on August 16, 2019. A prospectus supplement related to the offering will be filed with the SEC. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, and these securities cannot be sold in any state in which this offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state. Any offer will be made only by means of a prospectus, including a prospectus supplement, forming a part of the effective registration statement.
For further details of this transaction, please see the Form 6-K to be filed with the SEC.
About Luokung Technology Corp.
Luokung Technology Corp. is one of the global leading spatial-temporal big-data processing technology companies and a leading interactive location-based services company in China. The core business brands of the Company are "Luokuang" and "Superengine". The Company mainly provides spatial temporal big data PaaS, SaaS and DaaS intelligent services based on its self-developed patented technology which can be applied in Mobile Internet LBS, Internet Travelling, Intelligent Transportation, Automatic Drive, Smart City, Intelligent IoT, Natural Resources Exploration and Monitoring and so on. These services are integrated intelligent computing and application services for spatial temporal data which including but not limited to Satellite and UAV Remote Sensing Image Data, HD Map, 2D and 3D Internet Map, Real-time Trajectory, IoT Industrial Stream Data. For more information, please go to http://www.luokung.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains certain statements that may include "forward-looking statements." All statements other than statements of historical fact included herein are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects" or similar expressions, involving known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including the risk factors discussed in the Company’s periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these risk factors. Other than as required under the applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.
CONTACT:
The Company:
Mr. Jay Yu Chief Financial Officer Tel: +86-10-5327-4727 Email: ir@luokung.com
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 5, 2021 — The Montgomery Summit presented by March Capital, the leading, invitation-only business and technology conference, today announced speakers and presenting companies for this year’s conference, taking place virtually on March 3rd-4th. Hosted and curated by Summit founder Jamie Montgomery, the exclusive gathering enters its 18th year bringing together a global community of leading investors, entrepreneurs, and industry executives for two days of networking, insights on the latest innovations in business and technology, company presentations, forum and roundtable discussions, and keynote sessions.
For the first time ever, The Montgomery Summit is opening its plenary sessions (keynotes, fireside chats, and panels) at no cost, allowing for a larger global reach than ever before. "Our first virtual Summit will bring experienced leaders together to discuss groundbreaking industry innovations, including the unique challenges posed to businesses over the past year," said Jamie Montgomery. "Attendees can continue to expect unique insight gleaned through this year’s presentations, the opportunity to schedule collaborative one-on-ones with industry experts, and thought-provoking conversations from our lineup of fireside chats and panel discussions."
Keynote & Notable Speakers The Montgomery Summit consistently features global leaders and influencers as keynote speakers. This year, Summit guests will hear from luminaries who continue to drive significant and impactful innovation in technology and leadership:
Eric Yuan, Founder & CEO, Zoom
Bill McDermott, President & CEO, ServiceNow
Deepak Chopra, M.D., Founder, The Chopra Foundation
Ruzwana Bashir, Founder & CEO, Peek.com
Darius Adamczyk, CEO, Honeywell
Jim Whitehurst, President, IBM
Jennifer Tejada, CEO, PagerDuty
Vasant Prabhu, Vice Chairman & CFO, Visa
Francis deSouza, President & CEO, Illumina
Cristiano Amon, President & CEO-elect, Qualcomm
Alexa von Tobel, Founder & Managing Partner, Inspired Capital
Panels with Industry Leaders The Summit will also offer a series of panel discussions featuring executives from Nasdaq, Goldman Sachs, Amazon Web Services, NVIDIA, and Zynga.
Session topics include:
World of Investing Post-COVID
Leading During a Crisis
Education Post-Pandemic
Perspectives on the Indian IPO Market
Gaming
Presenting Companies For its 2021 program, The Montgomery Summit has reinvigorated the format of company presentations to increase the energy and engagement of the virtual environment. The majority of presenting companies will be clustered into 16 blocks by industry sector, such as "Frontiers of Cybersecurity," "Intelligent Automation," "Cloud Infrastructure," "Real Time Payments," "The Re-invention of the Bank," "Re-inventing Supply Chains," "Optimizing the Data Layer," "The Future of Food," and others. Additionally, the Summit will highlight a number of transformative market-leading companies in a fireside chat format with moderated Q&A from the virtual audience. These companies include ASAPP, Forter, Freshworks, Rubrik, Qumulo, ThoughtSpot, Snyk, and Unqork. Company presentations along with additional program elements including virtual meetings and networking are available to Summit attendees with an all-access pass.
The Female Entrepreneur Program The Montgomery Summit will host The Female Entrepreneur program for leaders in technology on Wednesday, March 3rd. The event will recognize, support, and celebrate female leaders. Virtual attendees will include entrepreneurs, C-level executives, and partners at leading venture capital firms. The program includes keynote talks from Ruzwana Bashir, Founder & CEO, Peek.com, and Alexa von Tobel, Founder & Managing Partner, Inspired Capital.
Since 2004, The Montgomery Summit has been the premier technology industry-insider event for entrepreneurs, executives, and investors, offering extraordinary opportunities for identifying investments and building relationships. This year’s Summit is programmed thanks to presenting sponsor March Capital. Additional sponsors include Accenture, DC Advisory, EY, Macquarie, CIBC, IBM, Moss Adams, Nasdaq, and ASX.
About The Montgomery Summit The Montgomery Summit gathers entrepreneurs, senior investors, and leading executives to discover the most important innovations in business and technology. The event features two days of company presentations, keynotes, fireside chats, plenary panels, and forums. Previously known as The Montgomery Technology Conference, the Summit has provided unparalleled opportunities to meet a diverse blend of technological visionaries and innovators from all over the world for almost two decades. For more information, visit www.montgomerysummit.com.
BEIJING, Feb. 5, 2021 — Glory Star New Media Group Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: GSMG) ("Glory Star" or the "Company"), a leading mobile and online digital media and entertainment company in China, today announced that it has it has established a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement (the "Agreement") with Zhongminzaixian (Xiamen) E-Commerce Co., Ltd. ("Zhongmin Zaixian"). As part of the Agreement, Zhongmin Zaixian will integrate its current product and service offerings into the Company’s CHEERS e-Mall ecosystem, which will provide more than 300 domestic and foreign first- and second-tier brands of consumer goods, gold jewelry and other gold merchandise in a full range of categories. These offerings also include online and offline payment services, such as mobile bill payment services for major mobile operators, multiple payment services for video platform membership, gift card payment services for games, and more. The cooperation is planned to be gradually carried out in 2021 and expected to bring additional stimulus to CHEERS e-Mall platform’s development going forward.
As a leading SaaS service provider, Zhongmin Zaixian offers SaaS services to enterprises in multiple market segments along the industry value chain. Its product and service offerings covers more than 300 domestic and foreign for first- and second-tier brands of consumer goods, gold jewelry and other gold merchandise within the industry service supply chain, including brands such as Chow Tai Fook, Cuilu Fine Gold, Gree, Midea, Nike, Philips, and more, as well as other virtual benefits and coupon services. After several years of development, Zhongmin Zaixian’s customers and partners include several major mobile operators, including China Mobile Communications Corporation, China United Network Communications Group Co., Ltd, and China Telecommunications Corporation, as well as many well-known banks, including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank Corporation, China Post Group Corporation Limited, China Merchants Bank, China CITIC Bank, and more. The customers and partners of Zhongmin Zaixian also include several industry leaders, including Air China Limited, Hainan Airlines Co., Ltd., Xiamen Airlines, Trip.com Group Ltd, China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, and Qihoo 360 Technology Co. Ltd.
Pursuant to the Agreement, the substantial number of brands across Zhongmin Zaixian’s supply chain will help to rapidly expand CHEERS e-Mall’s offerings while also supplementing its high-quality brand channels significantly. At the same time, the supply chain system and diversified service products of Zhongmin Zaixian can help to further increase the number of new consumption scenarios within the CHEERS e-Mall ecosystem, provide its users with a broader array of high-quality products and unique services, and meet all aspects of its users’ needs in their pursuit of a higher-quality lifestyle. Through this cooperation, Glory Star will continue to integrate with multiple brands, expand its supply of high-quality brands and services, enhance its platform value and the value of its cooperating brands, and advance its CHEERS e-Mall as well as other CHEERS platforms to new stages of development.
Mr. Bing Zhang, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Glory Star, commented, "We are excited to announce the establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with Zhongmin Zaixian. Collaboration between both parties will help Glory Star to establish stronger connections between merchants and users while better satisfying its users’ increasing demands for a quality, convenient, and diversified set of products and services. We are confident that this cooperation will enable us to establish enduring brand influence, enhance our brand awareness, and further improve the leading position of CHEERS e-Mall in the new e-commerce industry."
About Glory Star New Media Group Holdings Limited
Glory Star New Media Group Holdings Limited is a leading mobile entertainment operator in China. Glory Star’s ability to integrate premium lifestyle content, including short videos, online variety shows, online dramas, live streaming, its Cheers lifestyle video series, e-Mall, and mobile app, along with innovative e-commerce offerings on its platform enables it to pursue its mission of enriching people’s lives. The company’s large and active user base creates valuable engagement opportunities with consumers and enhances platform stickiness with thousands of domestic and international brands.
Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements made in this release are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "estimates," "projected," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "plans," "intends," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "should," "future," "propose" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions ) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, are: the ability to manage growth; ability to identify and integrate other future acquisitions; ability to obtain additional financing in the future to fund capital expenditures; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions; costs or other factors adversely affecting our profitability; litigation involving patents, intellectual property, and other matters; potential changes in the legislative and regulatory environment; a pandemic or epidemic; and other factors listed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2019 and in other filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Such information speaks only as of the date of this release.
SHENZHEN, China, Feb. 5, 2021 — WeBank named in Gartner’s report "The China Blockchain Service Network: A New Digital Infrastructure to Accelerate and Challenge Digital Commerce Globally"1 in 2020.
According to Gartner1, "The China blockchain service network (BSN) is a technical infrastructure designed to support and enable the majority of blockchain applications in the Chinese market and provide the backbone infrastructure for commercial activity. It can be regarded as a new internet protocol to facilitate trusted data, value and asset sharing between computer nodes. Gartner believes that from a policy objective, the BSN aims, in particular, to accelerate smart city developments — including activities involving Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), payments, government processes and the digital silk road initiative."
As in 2019, together with Hyperledger Fabric, WeBank’s consortium blockchain platform FISCO BCOS has joined the BSN as the only two officially certified licensing frameworks. The adaption of FISCO BCOS on BSN was completed in April 2020. Currently, many projects within the FISCO BCOS ecosystem are selected for BSN’s official designated applications.
Gartner also identified WeBank as a sample vendor in terms of blockchain in government in the Hype Cycle for Smart City and Sustainability in China, 20202. In 2020, WeBank applied its open-source blockchain technologies to on application scenarios, such as "The Green Mobility Inclusive Platform." It aims to effectively promote the trusted data circulation and integration of public welfare data, helping to enhance the efficiency of industry-wide collaboration.
Also, responding to the global challenge of COVID-19, WeBank has actively fulfilled its social responsibilities. With its open source blockchain technology, WeBank supported the mutual recognition of cross-border blockchain health code between Guangdong and Macau. By the end of December 2020, the health code system has supported 300,000 daily customs clearances and a cumulative total of 38 million customs clearances, which greatly helped the resumption of work and production during the pandemic.
Source:
1. Gartner, The China Blockchain Service Network: A New Digital Infrastructure to Accelerate and Challenge Digital Commerce Globally, by David Furlonger, 31 August 2020
2. Gartner, Hype Cycle for Smart City and Sustainability in China, 2020, by Milly Xiang, Uko Tian, Kevin Ji, 31 July 2020
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
SHENZHEN, China, Feb. 5, 2021 — The education environment is a diverse space. From classrooms to lecture theatres, libraries to laboratories, there’s an ever-growing need for LED display solutions to foster connections and collaboration. AOTO’s all-in-one LED Solutions are setting the pace at every level.
In the company’s domestic market,China, AOTO’s all-in-one LED Solutions are making the grade with several high-profile installations, including Zhengzhou University and China’sSouthern University of Science and Technology.
AOTO’s CV all-in-one LED solution offers this: An infared touch frame is intuitive to set up and use; functions such as an intelligent whiteboard and on-site annotation are built in for immediate interactivity and participation. Wireless connectivity enables screen sharing via computer, phone or PC tablet, so the sharing of materials for discussion is simple and straightforward. Meanwhile, multiple picture-in-picture configurations ensure information is easy to view, update, and collaborate on.
Viewing comfort has been equally considered. The all-in-one LED solutions bestow a 180-degree viewing angle, blu-ray eye protection and Moiré reduction technology to maintain student focus and engagement from every seat in the class. Based on the latest Mini LED technology, the CV all-in-one Solution has a fine pitch and reliable colour consistency for superior visual performance.
AOTO’s Smart Integrated Display (SID) all-in-one LED solution steps in at 120-inch display size, scaling up in both proportion and potential. Also available as 150-inch and 180-inch displays, its ultra-thin structure outweighs conventional LED products by 50%.
The SID all-in-one is an impactful, luxury presentation system that intelligently adjusts the brightness of the environment around the screen to concentrate the viewers’ attention directly on the screen. Conveniently controlled via mobile phone from anywhere in the hall or auditorium, the screen will also adjust itself to optimal brightness. With its powerful integrated audio system and integrated AI Algorithm, it goes beyond display.
AOTO’s all-in-one LED Solutions dovetail with the needs of the education market, opening up new possibilities and new ways of learning. AOTO’s all-in-one solutions bring intelligent capabilities, interactivity and imaginative engagement to classroom settings and group-based research and hold the attention of auditoriums and lecture halls. At the heart of the offering, however, sits stability and security of the solutions. AOTO gives the surety that the advanced functionality will work, continuously and simply and with the ease of AOTO.
CONTACT: Marketing Department of AOTO marketing@aoto.com +86-755-26719655
Welcome to the 2004 Nokia 9110 Communicator. This device harks back to a simpler time where mobile phones did not have coloured displays. The green hued colourless displayed was more related to an 8-bit animation console of the time than the Full HD HDR displays we have today.
Fast forward to 2019, the kind of device that the communicator was never made it. Every smartphone today, while they have roots from the Nokia Communicator device, looks completely different. They all feature QWERTY keyboards but in a regular candy bar form. You do not see a foldable behemoth that is the communicator anymore. Until they introduced the Samsung Galaxy Fold in 2019 of course.
Thing is, the Samsung Galaxy Fold, in our hands at least, did not feel like a product we can consciously recommend our friends to buy. It did not feel like a complete product. It felt too much like a prototype, fragile. We do not deny its innovative approach to a keyboard-less smartphone that folds in. foldable screens, while still in its infancy, is a technology we all have been asking for.
To be fair, we like the idea of a smartphone that folds. We like the idea of a smaller smartphone display that hides a larger display behind it. We like the idea of the Samsung Galaxy Fold in 2019. We just did not feel like the Samsung Galaxy Fold was complete enough as a product that commands MYR 8,000 from your back accounts.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 replaces the Samsung Galaxy Fold as Samsung’s most expensive flagship smartphone yet at MYR 7,999. It is also supposed to be the foldable device that finally works. It was made for everyone, supposedly. Is it though? Can we safely recommend this device to anyone now? We find out.
Design
When you first pick it up from the box, the device comes unfolded. What greets you when you open the box then is an expansive and oddly proportioned 7.6-inch display. What do we think when we first opened the box? Find out on our first 24-hours with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 feature.
We said oddly proportioned because it is not the usual wide body 16:9 display ratio. Rather, it looks more square-ish than anything else we have seen so far. While the display real estate nearly matches an 8-inch tablet in size, its usable display in videos is far less than one. Then you fold it for the first time to see a smaller 6.23-inch Super AMOLED display that looks a little more normal.
It is not that normal though; the display’s ratio is an even weirder 25:9 ratio. That also means that the secondar display, or the outside display is much narrower than a regular smartphone display with a Full HD+ type display. It is not even a Full HD+ display that you get up front, just an HD+ resolution here (816 x 2260 pixels, to be exact).
Flip it to the back and a triple camera array greets you. Plenty somehow things that the camera is the exact same on as you would find on a Samsung Galaxy S20 or Galaxy Note20. We assure you that it is not. All three camera sensors top out at 12-Megapixels. At least you can still get decent stills and 4K videos out of it. We will discuss that later though.
The unit we got is labelled as the Mystic Bronze variant. It only comes in either the colour we got, or Mystic Black. Both colours are finished in Matte instead of the usual glossy type finish. But we somehow prefer the Mystic Bronze colour variant over the Black.
When you open the device up to reveal the full glory of the 7.6-inch display and look at the bottom part of the device, you might notice that the display part of the device does not seem like it is laid flat. That is because the device is not flat when you open it up. Technically, the only almost truly flat and level part of the device when it is opened up is the main display. The secondary display and the device’s back are ever so slightly tapered off from each other when the device is opened.
We mentioned also in our first 24 hours feature on the device that we liked the brushed aluminium textured frames on the Galaxy Z Fold2. It adds a bit more texture to grip on for your device. While adding better grip, it also gives the device a distinctive side profile. we thought that the device had enough thickness for a 3.5mm jack. Of course, they did not include a 3.5mm jack
Still, thanks to the vast amount of space on the sides, top and bottom, one of the dual speakers do not have to share space or module with the earpiece. This also means better clarity and balance to audio when playing videos or music. But this also means a lot of wasted space on one side of the device. There is not much else to put besides the volume rockers and the fingerprint sensor cum power button though.
When you fold the device, you reveal another glossy part of the device that separates the secondary display and the matte metal backing of the Galaxy Z Fold2. This forms the left side frame of the device when its closed and we think that it looks gorgeous, somehow more so than the older Samsung Galaxy Fold. This enclosure frame side though houses the new folding mechanism that you see in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. The look of the casing also mimics that of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.
That bulging frame tucks away behind two separate gloss finished bars that frames the glass back and secondary display of the device though. Those two frames continue from the rest of the frame of the devices. It is quite hard to believe that there are two frames on this device when it is in its open position. Folded up though, it is more believable since it is the thickness of two smartphone devices sitting on top of each other.
Still, we think that this is a mighty handsome device. We mentioned in the 24 hours feature that this looks and feels like a proper device that is ready for the market instead of the prototype feel and look of the Samsung Galaxy Fold of 2019. The crease of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is still very much visible and it is something that we expect Samsung and other smartphone manufacturers will continue to work on in future devices. The difference between this new model and the old one is that the crease somehow feels less profound and less disruptive to the display than before.
Hardware
Powering two different displays is usually very taxing, even on a regular PC. Thankfully though the internals that lives inside the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is all but regular. It packs the best of 2020’s Qualcomm SoC, not an Exynos chip, surprisingly. It has a battery larger than most flagships as well, for good measure. Despite not having any of the super high-resolution cameras that the other Samsung Galaxy flagship devices, this still features five on-board cameras (3+1+1).
FRONT Internal: 10-Megapixel (f/2.2, 26mm wide angle) 4K video recording (30fps)
FRONT External: 10-Megapixel (f/2.2, 26mm wide angle) 4K video recording (30fps)
Sensors
Accelerometer Proximity Side Mounted Fingerprint Ambient Light Gyroscope Face Unlock Compass
User Interface – Still OneUI 3.0
One advantage of mobile optimised operating system is its adaptibility with almost any kind of display at any screen ratio. That is very apparent on the Android 10 based OneUI 3.0 on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. The oddly shaped WQHD+ display feature a display factor that you have never seen before, other than the older Samsung Galaxy Fold of 2019.
Naturally, we were a little concerned about the app and system scaling on these devices when we first pick up the devices. Of course, our concerns are not entirely baseless after using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 for a while. The fault is not entirely on Android though.
We have to say that Android does a good job in scaling itself into any display factor, resolution, and size. The implementation on OneUI 3.0 on top of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is really just a testament to that. Android even scales properly on the 4K display of the Sony Xperia 1 and its successor if you are wondering.
The same cannot be said to all the available apps though. Of course, not all the apps available will be subject to the same issue. Still, the scaling issue happens on certain apps that you might use daily.
Sure, things like Gmail, or other email apps may not look too funky. That is because these apps scale nicely and quite normally on larger displays. In fact, you get to see more on your Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 than on a Samsung Galaxy Note20, for example. Even apps like WhatsApp and Telegram looks like the normal smartphone application that they are albeit on a larger, slightly oddly rationed screen. Telegram even works nicely with horizontal typing mode; you still get to scroll through the chat even with the keyboard occupying the bottom half of the display. The same cannot be said for WhatsApp on the horizontal typing front.
Then you go to Instagram, expecting a better experience with bigger screen. Of course, you see photos bigger and everything seems peachy at first. You actually get a very regular smartphone-ish interface with two wasted space on both sides of the main interface. It still works because you are still scrolling through the feed like a normal smartphone. The wasted space is a little bit annoying since you could get contents to shine with the extra display real estate.
Then you go into Instagram Stories and realise that the app really does not play well with the larger display of the Galaxy Z Fold2. To be fair, we could be the only one facing this issue. When we launch Instagram Stories, the display greets us with options to interact with the post, instead of the usual clean post. We had to back out of Reactions by hitting the comment box and back out of it again to have normal interaction with Instagram Stories. If the account user disables comments, you cannot do anything but view the contents behind the reaction overlay. Strangely, Snapchat works fine.
So far though, this is the only app that seems to have an issue with the oddly shaped display. Other apps seem to work fine and scales nicely with the display, either showing a little bit more information than the regular smartphone app or having larger interfaces. Do not get us wrong though, they are largely still the same interfaces as a regular smartphone.
Of course, the ones that takes the most advantage of the larger display on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 are Samsung’s own developed apps. You can see the simple optimisation of the OneUI 3.0 from Samsung’s native Messaging app or even its settings menu. On the Messaging app at least, you get to view your list of conversations on the left side and get into the conversations on the left side.
Bigger Videos
The biggest benefit of a larger display is always on the gaming and video front. You can either watch YouTube with the regular vertical layout and the video looks big enough already. We initially thought as well that with YouTube, you may not need to go full screen horizontally until we did.
There is about 1-inch of difference in the video size when you stream YouTube vertically and when you go on full screen horizontally. That means you get a much bigger real estate that you are looking at on YouTube. But what is interesting with YouTube on the Galaxy Z Fold2 is that the interface looks more like what you will get on tablets instead of a regular smartphone.
Of course, the bigger screen and resolution benefits Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The bigger display in the format of the Galaxy Z Fold2 can easily be tucked away in your pockets. That also means that you can be on the train on the way to work and whip out the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 and feast on Netflix the whole way there without ever needing to squint your eyes too much to pick out details. When you are done, you simply fold it back up and put it in your pockets. No cable worries here too if you are using a pair of Bluetooth earphone.
Like the smartphone app, Netflix and Prime Video cleverly sizes down their videos a little just to avoid projecting over the camera hole that is on the display. That also means that you are not interrupted by a black hole in your screen when you enjoy your videos, unlike YouTube. While it means smaller display real estate for videos, it is still a large enough footprint for Netflix and Prime Video.
Same-Same but Different
The advantage of having two displays on a device though is having two separate home screens for different functions. The OneUI 3.0 on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 encourages this. Your main home screen, if you use Samsung’s Smart Switch, will be transferred and translated into the main home screen. Keep in mind that there will be a lot of extra space on your home screen inside too, meaning you can add even more apps and shortcuts on your home screen. If you like to keep the minimal amount of home screens on your smartphone, this could be perfect.
Out the front secondary display though is a fresh home screen that you can customise to your liking. You have to keep in mind though that the display up front is plenty smaller than the main display. That also means that your YouTube, Netflix, and Prime Videos get squished quite a lot. We keep all the apps that we need quick access to up front. We have a calendar widget up front too for a quick glance when we need to.
Of course, because this is a Super AMOLED display still, it is a great display to watch videos on still. It is a perfect display to discreetly watch your YouTube, Netflix, or Prime Video shows. You can stand it up to get it to the perfect screen angle on your desk too. Make sure you have a pair of Bluetooth earphones though, just so that you do not disturb your co-workers or alert your boss.
In that mode as well you can use the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 as a video conferencing device with half the main display. There are two front-facing cameras you can rely on as well for that matter. Unfortunately, the selfie camera out the front of the device does not support this function. Not that it will be a deal breaker.
Performance
With two screens, you will want a lot power to get this behemoth of a device going. That is where the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ on the device comes into play. Credits where credits are due, the flagship Qualcomm System on a Chip (SoC) is the most powerful processing chip you can find on an Android device today, before they introduce a new one with 5nm build next year.
These are all just numbers though, what matters is how they perform in your hands, in your pockets, out in the real world. But big numbers do have some merits. In the case of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, the numbers mean that the device should feel buttery smooth and ultra-snappy, together with the 120Hz display. Thankfully the 120Hz refresh rate is not resolution limited like the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.
Call Quality and Connectivity.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is a standard 5G device. No, that does not mean you get to experience 5G now. It just means that it will be ready for that experience once it is available in Malaysia. Yes, 5G technology is not commercially viable just yet in Malaysia. We are hoping that would change soon though.
The rest of the antenna array on the device is quite the usual affair from Samsung. That also means that you are going to get about the same call quality and performance from the usual Samsung Galaxy flagship. Calls sounds crisp as long and signal is strong enough (one bar and above). You can expect some choppiness when the signal drops to one bar. Of course, do not expect calls to get through when you get no cellular signal.
Still, when calls get through, the party on the other side of the line reports that calls are as clear as day. This is thanks to the noise cancelling mic combination. We thank whichever engineers that has figured out the art of noise cancelling on calls on this.
Making calls is as simple as clicking through the Phone app too. It is the same exact layout and interface as any Samsung Galaxy device you might be familiar with. Then again, any Phone app these days look the same and function somewhat similarly. Like any other Samsung device too, you can quickly swipe right on your contact name or recent calls page to quickly make a call. Swipe left to message the person.
The only thing you might want to keep in mind when using the device to call is that you can only hold it up to your ear (as in, use the earpiece) with the device folded in and using the front display. You cannot use the earpiece with the device unfolded. You would look ridiculous too, even if you can. Remember the days where you can pick up calls on an 8-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab? Remember how stupid people look picking up calls on those devices? You look even more ridiculous using this, because its is so disproportionate.
You can use loudspeaker mode in both folded and unfolded state though. The experience on that is also quite similar to other Samsung Galaxy flagship devices. The only difference is that one side of the stereo speaker system does not share an outlet with the earpiece. That allows the speakers to fire more evenly for a better all-round experience in your conference calls.
The loudspeaker can be quite loud as well, so if you are sitting in a small discussion table with 6 people, you can use the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 to make conference calls. The only issue is that if the table is not a perfect round (oval and elongated format), some people who are further away from the device might not get picked up on the conversation. We find that anything between 1m to 1.5m from the device is the maximum you should go when using the device as a teleconferencing device.
Gaming
In theory, a bigger screen should also mean a better gaming experience. Samsung did sell this device to gamers as a gaming smartphone. We do not think that was quite wise though.
To be fair, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 does fare well in games, especially when games can take advantage of the 120Hz refresh rate. Games look extra smooth and ultimately looks amazing on the Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel. Thanks to a larger display footprint also, it feels that you are looking at a great sweet spot of a display (unfolded) for gaming. The display, in most cases, is the perfect size for plenty of games.
Games like Mobile Legends Bang Bang scales properly to the oddly shaped display. This allows you to see more on the field and gives you a slight advantage in matchups. You tend to be able to see your opponents from further away and react accordingly. This is not the case for every game.
There is a problem, however. Games like Brawl Stars does not scale to fully fill the display. While it does make it a little fairer when it comes to games and matchups, it completely misses the whole point of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. You get two big black bars on top and bottom of the display area. In some sense, it does mean that the alerts and control panels are not obstructing your game view. In a lot of sense, the black bars are annoying and feels like a little bit of a waste.
Still, all these games look really good on 120Hz. With games like PUBG, you might be able to really enjoy and immerse yourself in the game with such a huge display. Thanks to the extra real estate too, games are appearing bigger than the usual smartphone devices. Therefore, we say that the display size, when unfolded, is quite ideal for gaming.
Multitasking and Productivity
We feel that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 feels a little incomplete without an S Pen. We feel that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 will be a more wholesome and complete device with an S Pen. The follow up to this device is rumoured to receive an S Pen treatment though, so that is something to look forward to.
Still, a big screen means you should be able to fit more windows on a single screen. We found that we can open up to 5 applications on floating windows and two split screen windows at the same time. That also means you can have 7 running apps at any give time with the internal main display. When all the apps are open at the same time, you would expect some lags there and here. Not on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. The applications still run smoothly with nearly zero hiccups.
Of course, as the device ages, you might expect some slow down and decrease in performance in that region. You are most likely not going to use up to 7 applications at any given time though. At most, you might have three applications open at any given time to work with. In that sense, the display size is quite perfect for a three-application workflow.
Battery Life
We wanted the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 to pack a large battery, because we know packing two screens on a smartphone will drain its battery quickly. Unfortunately, Samsung only manages to shoehorn a 4,500mAh battery into this behemoth of a thing. This is also because of the oddly constructed device that does not allow for a lot of wiggle room in its mostly metal and glass body.
Despite the bigger display, you could sort of get about the same battery life from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 as the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. When we say about the same, it also depends on what you do with your Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2.
On most typical days, we did get more than a whole working day. Our typical day, these days, is mostly using the smartphone to make a few calls throughout the day, messaging via WhatsApp, Telegram, and even Facebook Messenger sometimes, checking emails, one or two YouTube Videos, a 20-minute session of Mobile Legends, and an episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. on Netflix. In that type of use, we get about a full workday of battery life and a little bit more.
There are days that there is some non-typical use though. That non-typical use usually involves binging on Netflix non-stop for a few hours, or gaming for a few hours at a time, some messaging here and there, and mostly nothing else. In that use case, you might want to keep yourself near a charging point.
You can probably drain half your battery before lunch time if you start your Netflix binge at 9 in the morning. If you choose to play Mobile Legends, you probably can half your battery life in about the same time frame too, maybe a little quicker if you push your brightness up. This is on WiFi mind you. Of course, if you drain your battery while gaming, expect some heat from the device.
Display
That brings us to the thing that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is built upon; is display, or rather, displays. Unlike most smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 has two displays, one out the front, and one inside. There have been smartphones that packs two displays before from the likes of Vivo. The difference is that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 has one large foldable display.
No, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is not the first foldable smartphone, nor is it the first foldable smartphone with two displays. That is a title snagged by its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Fold. Except, the Samsung Galaxy Fold’s front secondary display was quite unusable thanks to its minute size from the 2000s.
The Main Display – Folded Away and Tucked In
That was the first time we see an adaptation of a foldable display that was showcased by Samsung and LG a few years prior to 2019. That was also the only adaptation that worked with two different displays on the device for different usage cases. Its closest competition at the time featured a single foldable display that wraps around the device when folded.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is targeted toward a completely different market segment. We have to say though, it is a niche segment that they are looking at. At least at this time, we struggle to find someone who needs a much larger display than what they already have on their own smartphone. That was what people say when the Samsung Galaxy Note launched back in the day though.
It has an oddly shaped 7.6-inch main display inside the device that is foldable. That is about the same size as the device that came before. It is a bit more expansive thanks to the modern looking Infinity-O punch hole camera solution though.
The main display is a Dynamic AMOLED 2X, the same one as the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. It is larger in footprint though at 7.6-inch. In that case, the colour reproduction, HDR quality of the display is excellent. We do not expect anything less from Samsung with the display.
It is bright enough under bright sunlight that we can use the device outside. While you might not use the main display that often outside of home, the brightness can be appreciated. The colour contrasts are of course excellent as well for Netlfix movies and such. Again, it is just a very odd display factor, so your Netflix movies or YouTube will have two huge black bars on top and bottom of the device. That is why we say that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 could use a longer body.
It is sort of a WQHD display as well. We say sort of, because it is actually a little higher in resolution than a 1440p display. It packs 2,000 pixels in height, and about 1,700 pixels across. While it is odd, it makes for a great personal movie watching experience on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2.
Protecting the Main Display
We have to talk about the raised bezels though, because they are an important design aspect on the device. There are small plastic bumps on the corners of the bezels too, which acts as shock absorbers and a spacer when the device is folded. These bezels are an essential part in making the foldable display work as intended and as protected as possible from itself, and you.
No matter how Samsung spins it, the display is still a delicate thing. The middle part especially, is not solid. You can sort of press it down with a little give. We have to give it to Samsung though, the center fold creases is not as bad as before. At certain angles, it is barely noticeable, and you can easily forgive the crease. It does not even distort any images or videos on the display, which is a big improvement in the display’s usability.
The raised bezel sort of continues as well through the fold to make it seem as seamless as possible. Here also is where the raised bezel design, though can be quite undesirable in modern smartphones, is a life saver for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. It covers all sorts of gaps between the display and the frame of the device. That also means unlike the first batch of Samsung Galaxy Fold introduced last year, there are less chances of dust particles to be trapped in the folding mechanisms to destroy your display.
The folding mechanism is also the same improved mechanism that you get on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. That also means there is 180o of articulations, and the device will hold at any folded angle. Of course, we have spoken a little bit about this earlier.
There is another thing on the main display that we suggest you do not remove when you get the device – its screen protector. This is just a PSA, do not remove the screen protector that comes with the device, you might break your expansive and expensive main display if you do.
The 6.2-inch Display Up Front
Fold the main display away and you will see the glass protected 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display come to life. This is an odd display too, at 2,280 by 816 pixels. It is not exactly HD, but it is not exactly Full HD either. Samsung labels it at HD though, since it is close to 720p than 1080p.
The front secondary display gives you a different home screen and lock screen from the main display though. This makes the Galaxy Z Fold2 feels like two different devices mashed into one. One bigger, entertainment and productivity beast inside, and one portable, little secondary device outside. Perhaps that was the point from day one anyway and we all have missed the point.
In our case, we set it up to access the simples of apps we tend to work with when we are out and about. That also means surfacing the messenger type apps, the phone app, and even a calendar for quick schedule check. The front display is our ‘quick access’ screen, sort of.
Thanks to Super AMOLED technology too, the display is brilliant and bright. Colour contrasts and saturation is excellent and very vivid. While we think that the display is a tad small, and quite odd in display factor, it is very useable for a quick video fix. Either that, or white noises. You definitely can use it as your media controller for music playback in public transportation spaces. No, you might not want to game on this display. Why do something you might not enjoy?
Camera
You would think that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 packs the same camera array as the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. We can forgive you for that, because it features a very similar camera bump module. It does not though.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 packs three 12-Megapixel shooters. One for a regular wide-angle shot, one for ultra-wide photos, and one for longer telephoto shots. While the numbers are quite underwhelming, the results are not.
We have mentioned again and again that you never really need more than 12-Megapixels on your smartphone cameras and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is a great example of that statement. That is because the 12-Megapixel camera on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 produces quite stunning examples in any conditions. The 12-Megapixel shooter can and will produce stunning photos at any time and every time, even when light is a little scarce.
Of course, if you go into the detailing, there is noticeably less from the 12-Megapixel shooter than the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra’s 108-Megapixel. That is only because there are more pixels packed on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. That is about the only thing the Galaxy Note20 Ultra has in advantage compared to its foldable cousin. That, and 8K video recording which you may never use.
Colours across all the cameras on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 are excellent. Sure, they could use some saturation before you post, but that is easy to do with the device’s pre-installed photo editor anyway. That adjustment can take anywhere from 2 seconds to 1 minute depending on what you want from the photo. You can just throw a clever ‘auto’ adjust and the device can decide what looks best for you, and that should be enough.
That is probably the only complain we have from the camera though. The photos that come out of the camera can look a little flat before you edit them. Because there are only 12 million pixels on the sensor too, cropping photos can make them look a little less crisp, unless you work with the telephoto lens. Still there are three lenses you can choose from anyway, so not like you would be strapped for choice when it comes to photo taking.
A benefit of a 12-Megapixel sensor compared to a 108-Megapixel one is heat management. While boasting similar camera bump, the cameras on the Galazy Z Fold2 heats up less, if it happens at all. In that case, your device is still comfortable to work with at any given time. You still get to record 4K videos, mind you.
Of course, beauty is in the eyes of its beholder. You should see the unedited results of the photos from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 and be your own judge. Check out the gallery below.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold – Much Wow, Much Premium
We want to say that we like it. We like the experience of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 not because it is a unique device. We like it because it feels like a proper Samsung device. We like it because it is smooth, it works well, and it is some high-quality stuff. We like it because it feels like a regular well-built, well developed Samsung device.
It is a rather unique device. The folding mechanism adds some layers of functionality over the regular smartphone. We like the direction that Samsung is heading with the folding smartphone form factor too. We think that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is the right step forward from the older Samsung Galaxy Fold. We think that there is more to explore in the world of folding smartphones and Samsung, no doubt, will exploit that in future iterations.
Thing is, using the device does not feel unique in a lot of times. It can feel cumbersome too. From the awkwardly narrow keyboard in the front display, to the oddly factored inner display for videos, there are things that makes the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 a little less intuitive than a regular smartphone. Its heft is also a constant reminder that you are carrying a sort of thoroughbred. A fragile one at that. You have to remember to not use it in wet conditions too, since it is not IP rated.
So in the end, we think that MYR 7,999, although a reasonable price point for a unique product like the Galaxy Z Fold2, can be better spent elsewhere. Sure, if you have the extra cash and you really want to flash your wealth, this is really the device for you. It turns heads.
Thing is, that kind of money can buy you a Smartphone and a great notebook PC for extra productivity. That kind of money can buy a decent gaming notebook too. That kind of money can buy you a 4K TV and a PlayStation 5 to go along with the TV. You can probably get a few games too, with some extra money you saved.
So, do we think that you should get the device? In short; no. But it is more than that, you really can spend your MYR 7,999 on multiple things that could achieve the same things as the Galaxy Z Fold2, and even more. But again, if you have MYR 7,999 lying around somewhere just waiting to be used, we do think that your money buys more than just the device. Your money buys Samsung’s confidence to go into a territory no one dares to go into. Your money busy their research and development into future products. Your money buys affordability for this kind of technology in the future. So, you decide.
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