Samsung has finally unveiled its new folding device namely Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. 2019, Smartphones saw a different side and return of a significant technology: the-foldable. Samsung started the trend with a bit failure “screen-peeling” Galaxy Fold and Huawei followed it into by the Huawei Mate X but then Galaxy re-engineered the failed screen approach of the Galaxy Fold and re-launched the product with a better screen replacement. It was quite a massive feat for the smartphones but then came the all-new Moto RAZR. Both the Galaxy Fold and the Mate X were tablet-ish approach but the RAZR came in a different form factor, the iconic clamshell design for which it was previously known for. This certainly raised some eyebrows and became the head turner for most of the tech enthusiast and brought nostalgia in the mobile world.
However, the RAZR’s uniqueness short-lived as the Koreans came with an answer: The Galaxy Z Flip. Samsung, like Motorola, took the vertical flip phone design from the past and stuffed it with modern-day technology like the folding display and modern-day hardware and software.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Design
Galaxy Z flip is completely different in terms of size, aspect ratio, the axis of fold compared to the Galaxy Fold and is layered by a thin film over the OLED. The display comes with a 22:9 aspect ratio with a resolution of 2636 X 1080 pixels. Samsung is equipping the Galaxy Z flip with Dynamic AMOLED display that will support HDR10+. The display is basically an Infinity-O display i.e. Hole-punch for a single camera. Don’t get your high hopes as the device will not support a higher refresh rate.
Maybe engineers couldn’t figure out the refresh rate for this very thin of what Samsung calls “Infinity Flex display” or this could have been a move to reduce cost to make it more approachable to the people. This “Ultra-Thin Glass” of Samsung will be layered with the Infinity Flex Display, and will be covered with a flexible polymer that will protect both the “Infinity Flex Display” and the “Ultra-Thin Glass”. The phone has a secondary display as well that measures 1.06 inches and has a resolution of 300 x 116 pixels whose function has been mentioned earlier.
The phone is quite tall and don’t worry it won’t unfold in your pocket. It will be between 6.9mm and 7.2mm in thickness while unfolded whereas it will be between 15.4mm and 17.3mm in thickness during its clamshell state.
Samsung, as mentioned earlier, included a new sensor to track the angle of the phone at which it is unfolded. Since it can freely lock at any angle between 90 and 180, the phone will know at which it is currently. So, the software makers can add this feature in their app to fully use the sensor.
Camera
The Galaxy Z-flip camera setup isn’t going to feature the new 108 megapixels as in the S20 Ultra but has a dual 12-megapixel camera setup on the rear/folded front that is basically a main wide and a secondary ultra-wide camera. The dual cameras are the same cameras that are on the Galaxy S20. The main shooter is a 12 MP Sony IMX 555 having an aperture of f/1.8 and a pixel size of 1.8 microns. The ultra-wide will have an aperture of f/2.2. The front camera is a Sony IMX 374 10 MP shooter same as the Galaxy S20, S10 Note 10 and Fold.
Interestingly Samsung has worked on its software and the view-finder of the camera will move to match the position of the image. This means that if you place it on a certain degree and use it as a kickstand on the table for video and photo purpose, the phone will match the image. TikTok users, a definite treat for you guys!! 😛
CPU and Performance
As usual, the specs of the phone are important no matter what features they pack. The SoC provided in the Galaxy Z Flip is the Snapdragon 855+. Since the arrival of SD865 has made it a generation old but this can be a trick to save the cost as well as the phone isn’t going to house a big battery and that will aid the cause for use of the SD855+.
This phone will come with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM which isn’t as much as the new phones in the premium Galaxy lineup like the S20s or the Fold but again this can be seen as a cost-cutting trick. Another sector where the Koreans cut the cost is the storage. The Z flip will come with a 256GB of UFS 3.0. This is quite enough but a downgrade compared to the 512GB trend of the recent high-end smartphones.
Software
The software on the new Galaxy Z Flip will be a stock One UI 2.1 based on Android 10. Few other features are to be added on the flip phone are being worked. This was actually way back in October 2019 at the Samsung Developer Conference then just a few days ago through an ad at the Oscars. And adding more to the nostalgia, guess what, when you close the phone, the call cuts. Bet you haven’t done that in ages. Not a groundbreaking feature but worth a mention.
Battery
Samsung is offering a combined battery of 3300mAh. Yes, they are going with a dual battery setup same as the Galaxy Fold. One will be a 900mAh battery while the other one is a 2400mAh battery where both will support wireless charging, reverse charging and a 15W wired charging.
Pricing and Availability
The Z Flip will be available in two main colours Mirror Purple and Mirror Black. There will also be a limited edition: Thom Browne edition. Thom Browne, New York-based fashioned designer, who partnered with Samsung to design a Galaxy Z Flip and a set of accessories specially designed for the limited edition. The limited-edition will come in a limited edition box with a limited edition Galaxy Buds+ and a limited edition Galaxy Watch Active 2. Whoa!! A lot of limited editions in one line…..
The Galaxy Z Flip is priced at $1380 and though Purple and Black are offered first it will be followed by Mirror Gold.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Specifications
- Body: Unfolded (6.59 x 2.90 x 0.28); Folded (3.44 x 2.90 x 0.68); 183 gm
- Display: Main (6.7-inches Dynamic AMOLED panel); External (1.1-inches Super AMOLED “Cover Display” )
- Resolution: Main (FHD+: 2636 x 1080 pixels; 21.9:9 aspect ratio); External (300 x 112 pixels)
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+; 7nm Mobile Platform
- CPU: Octa-core (1×2.95 GHz Kryo 485 & 3×2.41 GHz Kryo 485 & 4×1.78 GHz Kryo 485)
- GPU: Adreno 640
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 256GB UFS 3.0 (non-expandable)
- Software & UI: Android 10 with One UI 2.0 on top
- Rear Camera: Dual-camera; 12MP (primary), 12MP (ultrawide)
- Front Camera: 10MP
- Connectivity: Nano-SIM, eSIM, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band (2.4 & 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS, USB Type-C
- Battery: 3300 mAh battery with 15W fast charging; wireless & reverse-wireless charging
- Colors: Mirror Black, Mirror Gold, Mirror Purple
