What to expect from the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G

Ever since the fading of the clam shell-design phone craze, people have been craving a foldable smartphone that combines a good-sized screen with compact, slip-in-the-pocket overall dimensions. Samsung’s appealing fold-in-the-middle Galaxy Z Flip made a good impression when it debuted in February 2020, easily out-styling other foldable offerings such as the Motorola Razr and Samsung’s own Galaxy Fold. Slimmer, sleeker, chicer, and better designed than the competition, the Galaxy Z Flip proved quite the hit.

However, we can now eagerly anticipate the release of a new iteration, featuring (as its name suggests) 5G connectivity: enter, the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, available from August 2020. Here’s what we can expect.

Uber-powerful 5G-enabled processor

5G technology needs a gutsy chipset to work in any enabled smart device, and the Z Flip 5G will be no disappointment. Under the bonnet, the heavy lifting will be effortlessly carried out by a brawny 5G-enabled Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus mobile processor.

The 5G upgrade is, of course, the headline improvement, and Samsung is clearly aiming to blaze its own trail as the world’s biggest vendor of 5G smartphones, having shipped 74% of all such devices to the US in 2019. In fact, many reviewers were surprised to find that the February launch of the Z Flip didn’t offer 5G connectivity. This has now been solved.

To begin with, it looks as though Samsung will be playing cautiously, almost certainly restricting the release of the new phone to markets with already-live 5G networks.

However, there are other significant tech enhancements:

A smart ‘Fold’

The 5G version of the smartphone will be available in two ultra-cool colours (Mystic Bronze and

Mystic Gray), and it will come with an interesting ‘Flex mode’ feature: enable it, and the display is instantly split into two 4-inch screens, allowing users to view content on the upper screen while controlling the lower half themselves.

Multi-Active Window

A fiendishly clever multi-tasking feature, Multi-Active Window allows users to employ the Multi-Window Tray on the smartphone to drag and drop whatever apps they wish to use. With the ‘App Pair’ feature, this allows users to open and interact with two apps simultaneously. Want to share a photo with a friend? Just use this feature to open the Gallery and Messaging apps simultaneously, and away you go, in the blink of an eye.

Cameras

The new device will feature a dual camera on the back, comprising both a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide option and a 12MP f/1.8 alternative. Flip over to the front and there will be a 10MP f/2.4 ‘selfie’ camera.

Battery

Inside the casing is a 3,300 mAh dual battery. It can be fast charged both with a power cord and wirelessly. It’s not the largest battery in the smartphone market, admittedly, but it’s more than enough to get the average user through the day without running out of juice.

Pricing

Not many details are available as this article ‘goes to press’, but it looks likely that the price will be in the region of US$1,449 (£1,100), a jump of $70 (£60) on the existing Galaxy Z Flip, which retails for around $1,380 (£1,056). To take the sting out of the cost, Samsung is offering $650 (£494) off in rebates for customers who trade in a phone at purchase.