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Hardware

Samsung Announces Galaxy Z Flip With the World's First Foldable Glass Display (inputmag.com) 47

Posted by msmash from the who-asked-for-this dept.
Surprising absolutely nobody, Samsung officially announced the Galaxy Z Flip, its second stab at foldable phone, at its Unpacked event in San Francisco on Tuesday. From a report: The Z Flip is markedly different foldable than the Galaxy Fold, which launched to lukewarm reception and a whopping $1,980 price. Instead of a phone that unfolds open to a larger tablet-sized screen, the Galaxy Z Flip is a regular smartphone that folds closed into a smaller device. It's similar to the Motorola Razr. The Z Flip has a 6.7-inch OLED display that bends in half. Samsung says the "Infinity Flex Display" is the first one that is made of glass. Every foldable phone display has used plastic, which is more malleable, but less durable and scratch-resistant than glass. Underneath the folding screen, there's a Snapdragon 855+ chip. It's priced at $1,380 and starts shipping this Friday.
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Samsung Announces Galaxy Z Flip With the World's First Foldable Glass Display More

Samsung Announces Galaxy Z Flip With the World's First Foldable Glass Display

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  • So they say it's made of glass. Is this just some really flexible glass, or is the hinge made of plastic, and the rest of it made of glass?

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Powercntrl ( 458442 )

      Corning [youtube.com] apparently has been working on something like this for awhile. That video is from a year ago, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's what this phone uses.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Guspaz ( 556486 )

        Notably, that video is from the end of 2018, and demonstrated glass with a 5mm bend radius. That's in the ballpark of what you need for a folding phone.

  • After the flip, then comes the flop. I am expecting a large number of broken screen...

  • Why folding phones? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Nidi62 ( 1525137 )

    I don't get why the obsession with folding phones for larger screens? That folded, half sized screen on the flip looks virtually useless. To me, what would make more sense is a phone similar to the phones with sliding keyboards but with a screen instead of a keyboard. When it slides out and fully extends it can then slide up and be flush with the top, main screen. That way you have a fully usable, "normal" phone when collapsed, and an almost tablet-sized screen when extended.

    • All Samsung designs have one goal: Make the glass slab impossible to use with a protective case.

    • It's like the old clam-shell phones. Sure you could get a perfectly good (and nigh-indestructible) Nokia candy bar phone, but when you pull out that clam shell and flip it open, people can't help but pay attention. The only people who can hear your screams for attention when you're on your smart phone have to follow your Twitter feed, but with one of these bad boys you'll be able to get them to focus on you before you've even started composing your social media screed. Sliders are kind of cool, but nothing

      • Yeah, but to me you get a nice "wow factor" by being able to essentially fold up a tablet and stick it in your pocket.

      • Re:Why folding phones? (Score:4, Insightful)

        by ctilsie242 ( 4841247 ) on Tuesday February 11, 2020 @03:40PM (#59716910)

        There is something nice about ending a call by snapping the phone closed. It is a definite, analog action, and you know that the conversation is ended.

        • It will be much more satisfying than angrily hanging up a phone call by pressing a virtual button on a touch screen.

      • Similar principle as in the movies. The stylish villain has a butterfly knife or a switchblade. Sure they could just unsheathe a Bowie knife and stab someone, but it doesn't quite have the same effect of making people say, "Fuck that's cool!" before they get a few inches of steel between the ribs.

        Mr. Dundee would beg to differ.

    • Fold it and you have a cell phone screen.
      Unfold and turn it sideways, and you have a big screen, almost like a tablet. This is much easier for reading long documents at an acceptable font size, etc.

      This wouldn't be the most important feature in the world, but it would definitely be a significant one. I would certainly pay an extra $50 for a phone with this feature...

      • Look at these phones. When folded they are more like makeup compacts,not phones. They aren't phone sized until they're unfolded.

      • I would wait until they have gotten all of the bugs worked out. The thought of opening the phone only to find a blob/dead lines where the screen decided to break and beyond gives me the heebee-jeebees.

          I don't want the potential for a nasty surprise even when I took the utmost care of the device looming over my head.

        (a broken screen with these foldable devices is far, far more likely than the battery exploding or the electronics failing)

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by Isaac-Lew ( 623 )
          How are they supposed to work out the bugs if they don't release the product for general use?

          Lab testing & real-world testing are often 2 different animals.

      • Fold it and you have a cell phone screen.
        Unfold and turn it sideways, and you have a big screen, almost like a tablet. This is much easier for reading long documents at an acceptable font size, etc.

        This wouldn't be the most important feature in the world, but it would definitely be a significant one. I would certainly pay an extra $50 for a phone with this feature...

        But how about an extra $500? Because that's about what the premium is, based on the rest of the phone's specs.

        https://www.cnet.com/news/sams... [cnet.com]

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by PoiBoy ( 525770 )
      I'd love one assuming the kinks get worked out. Modern phones are often too big to fit comfortably in a pocket, especially jeans. I think folding the phone in half would be much more comfortable. Plus, this way the screen is protected from getting scratched.
  • It looks like a makeup compact. Makes me wonder who this is being marketed to.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Strill ( 6019874 )

      The purple color and flower patterns suggests to me that it's marketed to women.

    • That is exactly right. Samsung has said it is marketing to women who tend to have smaller pockets in their jackets. (Of course, ahem! There's a purse.) That is their target audience for this phone.

  • How do they keep their prices so low and still make a profit?

    • How do they keep their prices so low and still make a profit?

      I'd expect them to make it up in volume of sales... /s

  • More overpriced (Score:3)

    by thereddaikon ( 5795246 ) on Tuesday February 11, 2020 @03:14PM (#59716786)

    and over engineered crap. Who is paying good laptop money for a phone? I don't know anyone who actually owns one of these $1k+ flagship phones. I thought $600 was pushing it for a phone before but this is just ridiculous.

    I'm not even against the idea of a folding phone, IMO the slates are too damn big as it is. But folding screens are one of those technologies that I don't think will ever work as well as we want. Just too damn fragile. Microsoft has the right idea with their folding phone, just hinge two separate screens. Its cheaper, more robust and works just as well.

    The Samsung Fold and new Razr were failures before they even had a chance. Between review units failing, Motorola claiming screen defects were normal and expected. And luxury price for prototype experience they were doomed to fail. If Moto had just made the Razr with two screens they could have cut hundreds of dollars off the price tag, made it far more durable and would likely have a hit on their hands.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by seoras ( 147590 )

      Who is paying good laptop money for a phone? I don't know anyone who actually owns one of these $1k+ flagship phones

      Why do people continue to call these devices "phones"? Then go on to compare them to computers?
      Scroll back to the mid 00's.
      Folks were buying digital cameras, Game boys, MP3 players, sat navs and thought nothing of dropping a K or more on a desktop or laptop computer.
      They also had a dumb phone, which was good only for calls and short text messages which were a nightmare to type in.
      Now you get all of those things in one device but we still call it a phone!? Stop it.
      Yeah, good on you with your $600 "phone". En

      • "Now you get all of those things in one device but we still call it a phone!? Stop i"

        Because there is no better word to replace it.

        "Pocket computer" - too old fashioned
        "Computer" - too confusing and vague
        "Personal media and communication device" - don't expect people to be saying that in this universe or any other.
        PMCD/PMaCD (either pronounced or spelled out as an acronym) - too weird and awkward

        Sorry, but people will still be calling these things "phones" for the foreseeable future.

    • Greatest Value Ever (Score:4, Insightful)

      by SuperKendall ( 25149 ) on Tuesday February 11, 2020 @04:32PM (#59717142)

      Who is paying good laptop money for a phone?

      The most intelligent people on earth.

      Because they realize having top of the line computation, networking and photographic ability in a pocket is an amazing return on investment given how much a phone is with you.

      Lets say you spend $2k on a laptop. How much of the time is that ready at hand and accessible? Not in the bathroom. Not easy to whip out in a lot of travel situations. Not with you in bed (well, for most people...).

      Meanwhile the phone is with you 24x7. That means the cost per minute of accessibility is tremendously lower than pretty much any other electronic device.

      A phone is also more versatile than a laptop, even if a laptop is better at some silos of tasks.

      • I do not trust ideas, nor emails,that originate from someone sitting on the toilet.
        Unless it involves toiletry.

        Also: you sleep with your phone?

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by BKX ( 5066 )

          Yes. I'm also fully dressed in a recliner with my laptop half-way down my legs and my dick hanging out, toilet paper all stuck to it. Don't judge me.

        • But that's where I do my best thinking.
      • Current phones may have lots of computing power but to me they're useless for "power-user" computing tasks since they don't have:
        • A decent input method(i.e. physical keyboard)
        • A decently sized screen
        • A decent OS (Android doesn't fit the bill currently, can't speak about others)
        • A guarantee that the software is going to be updated for at least 5 years
        • A guarantee that the hardware is likely to work for a long time

        A phone that connected to a full size monitor and a bluetooth keyboard and running Linux would fi

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      Considering the Galaxy Fold was $2000 I see this as a positive move in the right direction.

      In a year or two OnePlus might make a really great, affordable folding phone.

    • First Fold, now Flip. I believe Samsung is trying hard to create a new genre. But it's unnecessary to pump [thaikhuongpump.com] their phones into the market like this.
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • This feels like the next 3D TV. A neat trick, but not very practical.

    Microsoft has a folding device coming that makes a little more sense. Two normal (durable) screens that fold together. Horrible for watching movies, but not bad for productivity; they have a customized version of Android that seems to make good use of the second screen. (Email list on the left, previews on the right.) I still probably won't buy one, but it does seem more practical.

  • Folding phone = Star Trek
    Star Trek= Future
    Future=Good.

    • Yeah I am surprised on Slashdot so many are asking why you'd want a flip phone instead of asking how hard it is to make it play the communicator sound when you open it...
  • They missed the opportunity to call it the Galaxy Fold V.
    After all, it only has one hinge, not two, like the letter Z would indicate...

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Isaac-Lew ( 623 )
      The Z is short for Zero, which is how much money you'll have left after buying this device.

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