- The age of folding phones is finally upon us.
First, there was the Samsung Galaxy Fold,
a phone that expanded into a tablet.
Then, came the Motorola Razor, a device that condensed
into half its footprint for the pocket.
And now, Samsung is punching back with the Galaxy Z Flip,
a smartphone about the size
of the Galaxy S20 Plus when it's open
and about the size of a coaster when it's closed.
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Now, some people say there's less utility in a phone
that simply gets smaller for portability,
so Samsung has built in an extra feature
to make the Z Flip a little more practical.
See, the hinge is semi-rigid,
and then, Samsung worked with Google to create a flex mode
in Android 10 that splits the display
in top and bottom halves.
That means you'll be able to prop the phone up
like a tiny laptop for video calls,
or for self-portraits or to run two apps at once.
That dovetails nicely with the fashion-first,
vlogger-centric crowd that Samsung
seems to be targeting here,
at least if the ads are any indication.
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It's a shame that the front-facing camera
isn't wide angle for those folks,
same old 80-degree lens on this one,
but around back, the news is better.
The Z Flip comes with standard
and ultra wide primary cameras,
which if your eyes are good enough,
you can also use for selfies.
Yep, this is your exterior display.
It's almost comically tiny, but on the bright side,
there is a touch layer, so you can answer calls
or wake up the clock with a tap.
Still, you'll almost certainly want a smartwatch,
so you don't need to flip the phone open
every time you get a message.
Aside from that,
The Z Flip really doesn't skimp on features.
Not only is the battery bigger than I expected,
given the foldable form factor,
but it's also got wireless charging onboard
and you can reverse that flow,
so you can charge Galaxy buds or a smartwatch
right on the back of the device.
The display offers high brightness,
packs a fairly high pixel density,
and instead of plastic, like the Fold
and Razor, it's covered by something
called ultra thin glass.
That means it should be more resistant to scratches,
but it doesn't mean we avoid
the big old crease down the middle.
At least you don't notice it as much
when the screen is on.
And Samsung has thought out those fundamentals
that matter on the day-to-day,
like a side-mounted fingerprint sensor
that's easy to find and snappy to respond,
and yes, of course, the ability to hang up
on someone with a satisfying clack.
(soft chattering) (phone clacks)
Satisfying.
(soft chattering)
As for the hinge, it feels very sturdy,
much like the one on the Galaxy Fold.
And as part of the folding phones' never-ending battle
with dust entering the mechanism,
there's also a layer of nylon fibers
within the hinge to keep the interior
as sterile as possible.
And it's not nearly as noisy as the one on the Razr.
By the way folks, I will be putting the Razr
and Z Flip to a head-to-head comparison very soon.
Be sure you're subscribed to the YouTube channel for that.
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This is just a hands-on, so let's button it up
before my voice totally gives out.
The Galaxy Z Flip is exciting to me
because I love the versatility of a phone
that can be full-size when I'm using it
and half-size when I put it away,
and I'm excited that Samsung added additional functionality
with the rigid hinge and flex modes,
but we're still on the bleeding edge of foldables.
And that means not only is this phone compromised,
with last year's processor
and the less capable camera than the new S20 line,
it's also pricey at a Jackson shy of $1,400.
And still, that's substantially less than the Galaxy Fold
and cheaper even than the Razr.
So if you're dying to get in on the ground floor
of the foldable craze, well,
this is the most affordable option.
As I said in my last video, function-over-form folks
will wanna spend their money on the S20 family instead,
but like The Razor, this phone is built for people
who wouldn't know a Snapdragon
from the rest of the spec sheet.
They want something that changes shape
to fit the needs of the moment
and, yes, they want something that turns heads.
That's why this phone is launching
during New York Fashion Week after all.
The Galaxy Z Flip debut is Friday, February 14th,
but my final verdict will be coming
after that Razor comparison in a full review.
So tiny.
(upbeat electronic music)
This hands-on was made possible
by a Samsung press event in New York City.
The company did not receive a preview of this video,
nor was it granted any copy approval.
Samsung is seeing this for the first time,
right alongside you.
Please subscribe, if that's the kind of video
you'd like to see more of.
Until next time, thanks for watching
and stay mobile, my friends.
(calm electronic music)