Galaxy Z Flip4 • Unlocked vs iPhone 12 Pro • Unlocked

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, released in August 2022, and the Apple iPhone 12 Pro, launched in October 2020, represent distinct approaches to smartphone design and functionality. While the iPhone 12 Pro offers a traditional premium smartphone experience, the Galaxy Z Flip4 introduces a unique foldable form factor. These devices operate on different ecosystems, with the Z Flip4 running Android and the iPhone 12 Pro running iOS, influencing their software experiences and integration with other devices.

When considering the long-term usability of a smartphone, factors like software support, physical resilience, and repairability play a significant role. The Galaxy Z Flip4 and iPhone 12 Pro offer different profiles in these areas.

• Software Longevity: The Galaxy Z Flip4 launched with Android 12L and is eligible for four major Android OS updates and five years of security updates, extending its support until approximately Android 16 and security patches until 2027. The iPhone 12 Pro, released with iOS 14.1, typically receives 5-6 years of major iOS updates, with its current iOS version being 26.4 as of March 2026. This suggests the iPhone 12 Pro has already received a substantial portion of its major OS updates, while the Z Flip4 still has more major OS updates remaining.
• Physical Durability: The iPhone 12 Pro features a Ceramic Shield front cover and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, allowing submersion up to 6 meters for 30 minutes. The Galaxy Z Flip4, with its foldable design, has an IPX8 water resistance rating, protecting it from submersion up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, but it does not have an official dust resistance rating. The foldable display, while innovative, is generally considered less resilient to physical impacts than a traditional glass slab.
• Expected Practical Lifespan: Both devices are built with premium materials, but their design philosophies impact their perceived longevity. The iPhone 12 Pro's solid construction offers robust protection against everyday bumps and drops. The Galaxy Z Flip4's folding mechanism, while durable for its category, introduces a moving part that some users might perceive as a potential point of wear over extended use.

The performance of a smartphone is crucial for daily tasks, from browsing to demanding applications. Both the Galaxy Z Flip4 and iPhone 12 Pro deliver capable performance, though they achieve it through different hardware and software optimizations.

• Processing Power: The Galaxy Z Flip4 is equipped with a current-generation processor, enabling smooth handling of demanding apps, multitasking, and graphics-intensive games. The iPhone 12 Pro features a powerful chip that provides a highly responsive user experience, efficient app loading, and consistent performance across various tasks and games.
• Multitasking and Responsiveness: With 8 GB of RAM, the Galaxy Z Flip4 manages multiple applications efficiently, allowing for quick switching and retaining app states in memory. The iPhone 12 Pro, with 6 GB of RAM, also offers fluid multitasking, benefiting from iOS's memory management. Both devices provide a responsive interface, with animations and transitions appearing smooth during typical usage.
• Battery Behavior: The Galaxy Z Flip4 houses a 3700 mAh battery, which, combined with its efficient processor and adaptive refresh rate display, generally provides a full day of moderate use. The iPhone 12 Pro has a 2815 mAh battery, which typically offers solid battery life for a day, though heavy users might find themselves needing to recharge before the day ends. The Z Flip4 supports 25W wired fast charging, while the iPhone 12 Pro supports fast charging via its Lightning port and MagSafe wireless charging.

The display is a primary interface for any smartphone, and both devices offer high-quality viewing experiences, albeit with distinct characteristics.

• Display Technology and Clarity: The Galaxy Z Flip4 features a 6.7-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display with a resolution of 2640 x 1080 pixels, offering vibrant colors and deep blacks. It also includes a 1.9-inch Super AMOLED cover display for quick notifications and interactions when folded. The iPhone 12 Pro has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels at 460 ppi, known for its excellent color accuracy and contrast.
• Brightness and Outdoor Visibility: Both phones offer high brightness levels for good visibility in various lighting conditions. The Galaxy Z Flip4's main display can reach a peak brightness of 1200 nits, making it suitable for outdoor use. The iPhone 12 Pro also achieves a peak brightness of 1200 nits for HDR content, with a typical maximum brightness of 800 nits.
• Refresh Rate and Smoothness: The Galaxy Z Flip4's main display boasts an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, providing smoother scrolling and more fluid animations, which can enhance the overall user experience, especially during gaming or fast-paced content consumption. The iPhone 12 Pro features a standard 60Hz refresh rate display, which offers consistent and reliable performance for most users.

Camera capabilities are a significant consideration for many users, and both the Galaxy Z Flip4 and iPhone 12 Pro offer advanced systems for capturing photos and videos.

• Rear Camera Systems: The Galaxy Z Flip4 features a dual-camera setup on the rear, consisting of a 12 MP wide-angle lens with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle lens with a 123-degree field of view. This system is noted for producing vibrant images with good detail, particularly in well-lit conditions and improved low-light performance compared to its predecessor. The iPhone 12 Pro sports a triple 12 MP camera system, including an ultra-wide, a wide with OIS, and a telephoto lens offering 2x optical zoom, also with OIS. It also incorporates a LiDAR Scanner to assist with autofocus in low light and enable Night mode portraits.
• Photography Performance: The Z Flip4's main camera excels in everyday photography, delivering images with good dynamic range and punchy colors. Its ability to use the main camera for selfies via the cover screen is a unique advantage. The iPhone 12 Pro is praised for its consistent image quality across all three lenses, natural color reproduction, and strong performance in challenging lighting conditions, including excellent Night mode capabilities.
• Video Recording Quality: Both devices offer high-quality video recording. The Galaxy Z Flip4 can record 4K video at 30 or 60 frames per second, and also supports HDR10+ video. The iPhone 12 Pro stands out with its ability to record HDR video with Dolby Vision at up to 60 frames per second in 4K, providing enhanced dynamic range and color depth in videos.
• Audio Experience: The Galaxy Z Flip4 includes stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos technology for an immersive audio experience. The iPhone 12 Pro also features stereo speakers, delivering clear audio for media consumption and calls.