You’ve probably already seen the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip during its surprise Oscars ad, but today Samsung has finally fully revealed its next foldable phone.
Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Fold, the Galaxy Z Flip is more like a flip phone that splits the screen horizontally rather than vertically. The result is a clamshell device that’s a little thicker than your traditional smartphone but also shorter to easily store in your pocket.
[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=samsung-galaxy-z-flip&captions=true”]
The exterior of the phone only has a tiny display for showing you notifications for calls, messages, and to act as a digital mirror for selfies. However, this device really comes to life when you open it up and transform it into a full-sized smartphone.
It looks and operates almost like any of Samsung’s other Galaxy devices when fully unfolded and that’s largely thanks to the new Ultra Thin Glass that actually folds. It looks like a much more solid and rigid display than the plastic film-like displays that most existing foldable phones use today.
Samsung also engineered a new three-stop hinge that lets you use the phone in a closed, semi-open, and open mode. In this middle stage mode, the phone two halves sit at a 90- to 135-degree angle. The two halves of the screen can also display different things at the same time with a feature called Flex Mode.
With Flex Mode engaged you can watch a YouTube video on the top screen while you browse through comments or add your own on the bottom display. Alternatively, while looking at your image gallery you can have one image appear in full size on the top half of the screen and continue to browse your camera roll on the bottom half of the display.
Beyond this new Flex Mode, Samsung also stressed that its new hide away hinge can block out dust more effectively than its previous attempt at a foldable phone. In a video demo, Samsung showed a cutaway of all the gears inside the hinge are now fully enclosed. Plus there’s also a Fiber Shield, which is basically a brush tucked under the flexible screen designed to catch any errant dust.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will be available starting on February 14 and it will retail for $1,380—which basically undercuts the $1,500 Moto Razr.
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam
Source: IGN.com Samsung Introduces the Galaxy Z Flip Foldable Phone