The flip phone & their comeback: Samsung galaxy Z flip 5

The flip phones were once the epitome of mobile phone design and were widely popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They had a hinged design that allowed the device to be compact when closed and expanded when opened. Some even had an arial that you could pull out for better connectivity. This design protected the keypad and screen from scratches and damage, making them a durable and stylish choice at the time.

Some iconic flip phones from the past include the Motorola RAZR series, Nokia 2720, and Samsung’s various flip phone models. These devices were well-loved for their sleek form factor and satisfying flip action.

While smartphones took over the market due to their versatility, large touch screens, and app ecosystems, there has been occasional nostalgia for flip phones. In response to this demand, some smartphone manufacturers started releasing modern versions of flip phones with updated features and specifications. In 2019, Motorola introduced a foldable smartphone called the Motorola RAZR, which retained the iconic flip design but incorporated modern smartphone technology.

Now smartphone manufacturers are making flip phones, most notably Samsung. They have made the Galaxy Z flip 5 that will start at £1,049 in the UK, with 256gb internal storage.

Galaxy Z Flip 5 has four main colorways: Graphite, Cream, Lavender, and Mint. They will also have the colors: Gray, Blue, Green, and Yellow that are online exclusive.

The design of the new Z flip 5 is very smooth. The rounded edges give the phone a modern look, along with the smooth hinge design that seems effortless. The cameras on the back are in the right place, and the don’t seem to be protruding as much as other smartphone rear cameras. The flip design is really cool, you can have the phone at 90 degree and record your selfies. You could even hold the phone like a video camcorder and record with control over your phone. The design is really good and its making me think about buying a flip phone again (last time I had one was a long time ago).

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 boasts a familiar 6.7-inch OLED main display with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and FHD resolution. The outer display now measures 3.4 inches an improvement from 1.9 inches. This larger cover screen provides higher fidelity for clock and notifications and enables widgets for Samsung, Google, and third-party apps, allowing for increased functionality without fully opening the Z Flip 5.

The phone maintains a similar look to its predecessor, with a folder-shaped profile that accommodates the cameras. The hinge, which allows the flip action, is now thinner and designed with a waterdrop shape, providing a tighter closure. Samsung assures users that the hinge is durable and capable of enduring 200,000 folds, ensuring years of use.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back panels, along with a tougher ultra-thin glass (UTG) layer on the inner display. The device also features an Armor Aluminum frame and IPX8 water resistance.

When it comes to the cameras, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 retains a 12MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera on the back, as well as a 10MP selfie camera on the inside. The cover display’s preview window facilitates easier selfies using the main or ultrawide sensors. Samsung also promises reduced lens flare and enhanced FlexCam controls for partially-open state photography.

It runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, paired with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. The device features a 3,700 mAh battery with 25W wired charging support, as well as wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities.

The flip comes with Android 13 and OneUI 5.1, offering similar basic features to other recent Galaxy phones. The foldable design allows for additional functionalities, such as cover screen widgets for various apps like YouTube, Spotify, Netflix, and Samsung Pay wallet for NFC transactions. Users can swipe between widgets or utilize the multi-widget view for more efficient navigation.

If smartphone manufacturers continue to make flip phones like these, they can only get more and more popular.