Galaxy Z Flip 5: First Thoughts On Samsung's New Clamshell Foldable
Among Samsung's latest smartphone offerings unveiled at its recently unveiled event , the most exciting change we've seen comes with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 . Not only do we finally get a completely flat screen and a streamlined hinge, but Samsung has noticed that people like screens more, so it's installed a larger display on the outside of the phone.
There may be a lot of people who want to feel nostalgic for the good old days rather than foldable phones, but a lot of my hope is in the external display that Samsung calls "Flex Window". Great versatility is provided by a smaller, more convenient screen that fits neatly into a pocket or purse.
My first few days with Flip were uneventful. So far, it hasn't made me rethink how I think about smartphones or how I use my devices on a daily basis. Some of the same widgets are here as on the Zee Flip 4's smaller 1.9-inch screen, but now you can interact with your full calendar and get a weekly weather report, just like a small smartwatch with tons of functions. You can also read emails and reply to people in other apps like Instagram or Slack. Full functionality doesn't seem to be the point of the floppy window - you can't log into Gmail or mindlessly scroll through Tiki Talk.
This limited usage is mitigated by various apps, but users are currently limited to a select few beta video and messaging apps that must be enabled in the device's settings. Soon we'll see more apps through Samsung's Good Lock Launcher, but for now I'm looking for more myself.
And Samsung isn't standing still as the only company offering foldable and flip-up devices. The Z Flip 5 will soon compete with Motorola 's Razr+ . Although the external 3.6-inch display completely covers the rear sensors, the redesigned Motorola phone was much like the Galaxy Z Flip.
For those who want a different experience from a traditional smartphone, there are a few extra features that make the Z Flip 5 interesting. There's a flexible mode setup where the phone can be folded in half on a table, revealing content on top and additional controls on the bottom. The external display also offers unique options for handheld photo or video recording. But at a starting price of $1,000, I really like that I don't feel like I'm giving up a great camera for a squishy screen.
