Here's Why The Next Samsung Galaxy Flip Phone Will Be An Important Launch
It's July and that means anybody who cares about technology will have to wait only a few more weeks before Samsung has its gala Unpacked event in South Korea. Plenty of new shiny devices are expected to surface, including the next iteration of the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Galaxy Z Flip4. It's a no-brainer why the Fold series is doing well; it's simply a powerful computer that can make you do most things you could have been doing on a laptop all these years. But all eyes will be on the next Flip phone because there are few things cooler than thwacking a phone shut.
We have been using the Galaxy Flip4 for almost one year and that means there are a lot of features that interested us when the phone first launched and a few things that now we want in the next Flip phone. Let's take a look at why the Flip is important, besides being a fashion statement for many.
Samsung offers many software features that allow you to handle multiple apps on its Galaxy Z Flip 4. More are expected to be added to the next device
Remember, Samsung works closely with Google
One of the ideas behind the Flip is to fit into any pocket and easily. It's like what the iPhone Mini has tried to do without being a foldable phone. Flip has in its favour a big screen when opened and roughly half the size of a phone when shut.
Samsung has done a fairly good job of tackling the screen crease over the years but the next iteration should make it appear lighter than ever before. What could be a game-changer is the outer screen. One year ago, the outer screen was big enough for many of us but having seen what OPPO Find N2 Flip has done and now the Motorola Razr Plus, it's time to up the game.
OPPO Find N2 has a biggish outer screen that looks great but what the company has, sadly, highlighted is an old saying — don't judge a book by its cover. The biggish outer screen can handle a few widgets well but there aren't enough functions. On the other hand, Motorola has put a massive outer screen on which you can work on any app.
What Samsung is expected to do is offer a big screen and make the software experience far better than the competition. The South Korean company has always worked closely with Google to present unique takes on several features. In fact, the software experience on the Flip4 is brilliant. We are, of course, expecting Maps and step-by-step navigation on the outer screen but, more importantly, a seamless experience between the outer and inner screen. The idea of a flip phone is to keep meaningless interactions at bay when you take out the phone. So if Samsung manages to offer enough software power then you won't be lured into browsing social media endlessly after replying to a message via the outer screen.
Though the battery is expected to be smaller on a Flip than regular Samsung phones, having a bigger and brighter outer screen means, you won't open the phone most of the time to get work done and it will save on battery life.
Remember, Samsung has an ecosystem
One of the reasons why an Apple user sticks to the platform is the versatility and range of devices it has to offer. You buy an iPhone and then maybe a tablet and perhaps an Apple Watch. It's a similar case with Samsung. In fact, Samsung has more than smartphones, smartwatches and tablets; there is an entire range of television and home appliances, most of which interact through SmartThings. It simply makes your life easier to move from one device to another belonging to the same company without glitches.
Remember, camera chops
In the past couple of years, Samsung has made massive progress in night photography with something it calls Nightography. Under sunshine, almost every smartphone camera produces good photographs but things get tricky at night and under uneven conditions. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra proved what a phone camera can do at night. Not just photography, the company has improved its video game quite a bit and all these things should help the next Galaxy Z Flip shine. Plus, there is the benefit of keeping the phone open halfway or propping it up on a table to shoot videos.
Remember, software upgrade
Samsung has been offering long-term software and security upgrades for quite a few years. It is matching what Google Pixel has to offer (at times it's even better than the Pixel) and definitely higher than any Android device. The upgrades are coming on time and flagship devices get to enjoy these updates first. The next Z Flip and Z Fold phones will continue to enjoy this edge. Further, more upgrades mean you can hold on to the device longer, which is good for the environment.
Reasons to get a Flip smartphone
Makes a cool fashion statement
You can get most work done on the outside screen, so less time is spent doomscrolling
It's pocketable
Offers innovative ways to take photographs
It folds in half, so it's easy to hold
Pictures: The Telegraph
New Samsung Foldable Leaks Give Us The Best Look Yet At The Z Flip 5
With about a month to go until the next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, we may have a pretty comprehensive idea about what to expect from the next version of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Several leaks over the last few days have revealed a lot about what the phones may look like — and what's under their respective hoods — ahead of their official unveiling.
A Twitter leak early this week from Revegnus showed a photo of a folded phone that looks to be to be the Galaxy Z Flip 5 in a blocky, black case (via 9to5Google). The case hides a lot of the design, but what you can see backs up previous alleged renders. For instance, the screen on the back may be the same 3.4-inch 720 x 748 cover screen that's been predicted. You can also make out the side-by-side camera lenses, another rumored update to the design.
The phone looks like it folds flat, but it's hard to say for sure with the case on it. Still, that could mean Samsung may use its new droplet-style folding technique that's been rumored for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 as well, which the frequently reliable tipster Ice Universe has indicated in the past.
A droplet-style fold has been used already in competitors' phones like the Oppo Find N2 and it should reduce the visible crease where the phones fold — something that has plagued folding phones since their inception.
Next up, prolific leaker SnoopyTech sent people on a bit of a scavenger hunt on Monday that led to sets of leaked renders of both the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 in various colors, using a binary-coded tweet as the first clue. When translated, it directed readers to Pastebin for more clues, and eventually, to renders and specs. I've collected some of the renders in the gallery below:
In the spec sheet SnoopyTech also included in the crumb trail, the colors are listed as Cream; Graphite; Mint; and Lavender for the Z Flip 5 and Icy Blue; Cream; and Phantom Black for the Z Fold 5.
Apart from new color shades and obvious design tweaks, other changes to Samsung's foldables include upgraded Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPUs and a thinner chassis for both phones — partially backing up an April rumor that the Z Fold 5's depth would be shaved.
According to SnoopyTech's leaked specs, the Fold 5 will shrink from 14.2mm — the thinnest point of a folded Galaxy Z Fold 4 — to 13.4mm. The Z Flip 5 will also thin up, coming in at 15.1mm when folded versus 15.9mm at the thinnest point of a folded Z Flip 4. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 may also lose some weight, dropping 10 grams from last year's model. Finally, the leak shows the Fold 5's camera array may have a 12MP telephoto lens — other previous leaks have put its telephoto at 10MP, which the Fold 4 used.
There are two notable absences in SnoopyTech's leak: no 128GB model and no 1TB model for either phone. While that doesn't mean we won't see those storage levels in the final phones, it's worth looking out for next month. Otherwise, based on SnoopyTech's listed specs, no other differences stood out — the specs for battery life, Wi-Fi connectivity, RAM, and more all point to mostly unchanged internals.
Correction June 27th, 2023 8:11AM ET: This article originally said Revegnus' tweet occurred on July 25th, which is in the future. It has been updated to reflect that the tweet occurred in the past. We regret the error.
Most PopularSamsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Rumored Release Date, Price, Specs And Latest Leaks
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is certain to launch this summer when Samsung reveals the latest version of one of the best foldable phones. And with Samsung essentially confirming reports claiming an earlier Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 launch than usual, it's time to see what the biggest Galaxy Z Flip 5 rumors are.
Past Galaxy Z Flip devices brought a lot to the table, delivering a compact design you can slip in your pocket and a big screen when you open up the flip phone, plus a Flex mode that lets you take photos and hold video calls hands-free. But as much as there is to like about the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the current model has its share of flaws — especially where battery life and camera quality are concerned. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be Samsung's chance to address those issues, especially with phones like the new Motorola Razr+ now offering stiffer competition.
Galaxy Z Flip 5 rumors suggest that Samsung has several changes planed for this latest edition, including a larger external display and a more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip running the show. Here's everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 so far, including rumors, leaks and what we'd like to see.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 latest rumors (updated June 27) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Possible price and release date (Image credit: Tom's Guide)Samsung's foldables typically launch in August, but a couple of reports pointed to a possible Galaxy Z Flip 5 unveiling in July. But don't take their word for it — Samsung says that Galaxy Unpacked 2023 is all set to take place in late July in Seoul, South Korea.
Why Korea? "Hosting Unpacked in Seoul holds great significance both as it is a city that has become an emerging epicenter of innovation and culture as well as the foldable category," said TM Roh, Samsung's president.
As for a possible date, both Korean publication Chosun Ilbo and Germany's WinFuture are reporting that a Galaxy Unpacked event on July 26 will feature Samsung's latest foldables.
Chosun Ilbo goes on to say that the global launch date for Samsung's new foldable phones will be August 11. That's two weeks earlier than we saw the Flip and Fold last year.
We hope that Galaxy Z Flip 5 pricing won't change much from what the Galaxy Z Flip 4 costs: $999 / £999 / AU$1,449. Fortunately it seems that Samsung will indeed be keeping the price stable for the Z Flip 5.
One interesting piece of fallout from the Galaxy Z Flip 5's launch could be that the Galaxy S23 Plus gets cheaper in some countries, so they're not sold at the same price point. It would be an unusual move from a company with such an overstuffed portfolio of overlapping phone specs and prices, but we'd happily take the Galaxy S23 Plus getting a discount.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Design, display and colorsWhile there haven't been any specific rumors about the Z Flip 5's main display, it's safe to assume the internal panel will keep the same basic shape as previous Z Flip devices. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 came with a 6.7-inch AMOLED Full HD display, with an adaptive 1-120Hz refresh rate. The only serious improvement there would be a switch to QHD resolution, but we'll just have to see what happens.
Ross Young claims that Samsung will introduce a new hinge design this year, with the goal of making that display crease look less visible. The new "waterdrop" display could allow a portion of the interior screen to roll inside the phone itself — preventing the display from creasing. Young also claims that the phone will be built with lighter materials.
The hinge may also give the Z Flip 5 its first IP58 rating, but details from SnoopyTech suggest this won't be the case. Which is a shame, because dust ingress is a real problem for all phones, especially foldables.
(Image credit: Naver)A bunch of rumors point toward the Galaxy Z Flip 5 finally getting a larger external display. That feature had originally been rumored for the Z Flip 4, only for the device to arrive with the same 1.9-inch display as before. So this would be a very welcome upgrade, especially with the Motorola Razr+ featuring a very handy 3.6-inch screen on its cover.
After multiple rumors about a 3.4-inch cover display gracing the Galaxy Z Flip 5 from the likes of Ross Young and Ice Universe, we now have an idea of what the remodeled phone might look like. Steve H. McFly, better known as @OnLeaks, has produced Galaxy Z Flip 5 renders that show off the larger cover display.
Renders of the Galaxy Z Flip 5's rumored cover display design (Image credit: Steve H.McFly / @OnLeaks via MediaPeanute)This is also backed up by leaked Galaxy Z Flip 5 cover photos, which show a much larger external screen than the Z Flip 4.
(Image credit: SamMobile)Note the notch in the cover display to accommodate the phone's exterior cameras. That's consistent with renders from SamMobile showing a cover display that spans across the majority of the Z Flip 5's outer top half while leaving a notch for the cameras.
Ross Young claims that the Z Flip 5 will be available in at least eight colors at launch: Blue, green, platinum, yellow, beige, gray, light green and light pink.
We've had another, seemingly official, look at the Galaxy Z Flip 5's design thanks to this leak. It shows off the new display and a couple of possible uses for it too. A subsequent leak shows the Z Flip 5 with this same design alongside other devices Samsung will apparently show off at Unpacked.
(Image credit: MySmartPrice)Leaker SnoopyTech also released a number of official-looking renders for the Z Flip 5, which seems to corroborate what we've seen so far. That includes a larger cover display, and a design that's otherwise pretty similar to the Z Flip 4.
(Image credit: snoopytech) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Cameras (Image credit: Tom's Guide)We're hoping for a more significant camera upgrade for the Galaxy Z Flip 5. That's because the cameras on the Z Flip 4 were only marginally better than those on the Z Flip 3. Not that the cameras was terrible, but there's an awful lot of room for improvement.
Last year we saw the Z Fold 4 offer better camera parity with the S22 range, and we'd like the same to happen with the Z Flip 5. After all, the Galaxy S23 (and S22 before it) has a 50MP main sensor, which sounds a lot more impressive than the 12MP offering the last two Z Flips have come with.
Unfortunately, initial camera rumors aren't promising. Leaker Yogesh Brar tips the new Galaxy Z Flip to have a pair of 12MP rear cameras for both the main and ultrawide lenses. These would match the megapixels offered by the Galaxy Z Flip 4. At least Brar expects the sensor on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 to be bigger, which could capture more light for better photos.
Another rumor claims that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 will come with a 50MP camera, seemingly dealing a blow to rumors the Z Flip 5's camera resolution could get an upgrade.
Still, a report out of Korea claims the Galaxy Z Flip 5 camera performance should approach what you get with the Galaxy S23, thanks to improved software. Another report claims Samsung may turn to a larger 12MP sensor for the main camera to better capture light for improved photos.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Performance (Image credit: Tom's Guide)It's like the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will feature the latest Qualcomm silicon, the question remains which version of that chipset. While we'd put pretty good odds that the phone will come with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, it seems it may end up coming with a standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 benchmarks were good, but the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra benchmarks turned out to be even better. So it's a shame we may not see the overclocked chip make it. Though the good news is according to alleged benchmarks for the Z Flip 5, Samsung's upcoming foldable could outperform even the Galaxy S23 Ultra on Geekbench. So we'll have to wait and see exactly which chip the foldable gets.
SamMobile also claims that the Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 will offer UFS 4.0 storage on devices with at least 256GB of storage. That means users will be able to enjoy faster read/write and data transfer speeds on the 256GB and 512GB models. Sadly, the fact UFS 4.0 isn't available on 128GB storage means that particular Z Flip 5 model will likely be stuck with UFS 3.1 storage just like the 128GB Galaxy S23.
UFS 4.0 offers 4,200 MBps read speeds and 2,800 MBps write speeds, far faster than the 2,100 MBps and 1,200 MBps speeds of UFS 3.1. It also offers 23.2 Gbps per lane speed, twice that of 3.1, and uses roughly 46% power in the process. That's a pretty hefty boost in storage performance.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Battery and charging (Image credit: Tom's Guide)It's clear that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 also needs to make a significant improvement to battery life. The Z Flip 4's 3,700 mAh battery lasted 8 hours and 33 minutes in our testing, a figure that rose to 8 hours and 57 minutes when the screen was set to 60Hz.
This year Samsung has proven its ability to better optimize battery performance on the Galaxy S23. The phone was able to last 10 hours and 27 minutes after a 200 mAh boost to battery capacity — and it gives us hope that something similar could happen to the Z Flip 5.
For what it's worth, the same report promising improved camera performance also claims that battery life for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will approach that of the Galaxy S23. We'd imagine the more power efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip will play a role in that.
While we'd like to see a boost from 25W charging, which has been Samsung's go-to speed for far too long, we're not hopeful — certainly not after the Galaxy S23 came along with the same 25W wired charging speeds. The same is likely true for the 15W wireless charging speed.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: What we want to seeBetter battery life
While the Galaxy Z Flip 4 offered a major battery boost from the Galaxy Z Flip 3 (8h33 vs 5h43), that's still a pretty weak offering. Especially considering the $999 starting price. So the most obvious upgrade to give the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is an even stronger battery life — be it from a larger battery pack or better power optimization via the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. If the Galaxy S23 can gain a few more hours with just 200 mAh, so could its foldable counterpart.
Galaxy S23-tier cameras
We may never get Galaxy S Ultra-level photography on a Z Flip device, but there's no reason the camera performance couldn't rival the one found on the standard Galaxy S23. At the very least we should be snapping pictures worthy of a $999 (or more) price tag. If Samsung wants to charge premium prices for its foldables, then it's going to need to offer premium photography performance to go with it.
Less obvious display crease
While Samsung may not be able to completely eliminate the display crease on a foldable phone, it should be doing everything it can to minimize it. After all, a honking great bar in the middle of your screen is a big distraction, and tends to ruin the aesthetic of the phone. Considering other phone makers have launched foldable devices without such obvious creases, Samsung's going to need to step up if if it wants to stay in first place.
Bigger and better cover display
Rumors suggest that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will come with a larger cover screen. After all, phones like the Motorola Razr 2022 offer far more versatile access to apps on the cover screen, and Samsung would be wise to do the same. The Cover display will never replace the main screen, but the more it can handle the less we'll need to flip the screen open, as we've seen when using the Motorola Razr+.
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