Last night at the first Samsung Unpacked 2020 event, the smartphone maker revealed the new Galaxy S20 range including the S20+ and awesome S20 Ultra. While those devices are great and you can read all about them including pricing and local release date here, Samsung also announced a cool new foldable phone called the Galaxy Z Flip. The device is said to be the more user-friendly, mass-market-ready version of last year’s disastrous Galaxy Fold and while this is definitely the case, it is still not ready for the average smartphone user in my opinion.
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip comes in a stylish shimmering clasp-like design that sort of looks like a makeup box with a hand mirror at the top and some blush at the bottom. Anyone that has played with a GameBoy Advanced SP will feel right at home with it as it opens and fold just the same. The device unfolds into a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED display when open. When closed, there’s a tiny 1.1-inch AMOLED always-on display on the top that shows the time and notifications.
It is without a doubt an impressive device as the moment you see it you know it is something out of the ordinary. Samsung claims to have created a new hinge system under the display that has tiny little brushes on it which move as you open and close the device. This brushes away any dust that may collect under the display due to the fact that it cannot be glued down because it needs to bend.
The device packs some impressive features in the clamshell design including 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage (with no upgrade option), a Snapdragon 855+ CPU and a 3,300mAh battery. As for the camera, it is simple compared to the S20 Ultra and includes a dual-camera module with a 10MP wide and 12MP ultra-wide.
?? it’s beautiful! pic.twitter.com/LABVaUhkfD
— Marco Cocomello (@Cocomelts) February 11, 2020
Will the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip fly you to the moon with its specs? No, but Samsung is compromising on the performance when compared to the S20 Ultra to bring down its price tag. R29,999 is already quite steep and the company states that users will pay around R1,400 a month on contract for this device. Samsung plans on launching it in three shades including a Mirror Purple, Mirror Black, and Mirror Gold all featuring a glossy shine.
What does this mean for foldable devices? Well, firstly it shows that Samsung is slowly getting the foldable smartphone to the mass market. R29,999 is pricey but it is a lot cheaper than last year’s Galaxy Fold. It is a step in the right direction and while many people won’t be able to afford the new smartphone, a lot more people will when compared to the Fold. Perhaps next year, Samsung will bring the price down another R5k until it becomes an option of purchase when looking at a new handset.