By Nicolas
Samsung is taking a second shot at putting out a folding phone.
A year after announcing the glitch-ridden Galaxy Fold, the Korean smartphone maker announced a smaller, cheaper bendable phone at its annual Galaxy Unpacked event.
Unlike the $2,000 Fold, the Galaxy Z Flip more closely resembles the flip phones of yesteryear, folding in half along a horizontal hinge instead of a vertical one. When closed it is a small, wallet-sized device, but when opened it is a full-fledged 6.7-inch smartphone.
The outside of the phone features a 1.1-inch OLED display that will show notifications without needing to open the device, and also doubles as a viewfinder for the selfie camera.
The Flip will cost $1,380 and hit stores Friday.
The Galaxy Fold hit stores in late 2019 after months of delays. It was supposed to hit the US market in the spring, but its launch was postponed after review units made their way out to gadget bloggers and promptly broke.
Reports of major malfunctions quickly spread across Twitter, including units that were breaking at their hinges. Other reviewers mistakenly peeled a thing protective layer — meant to keep the phone’s screen together when folded or unfolded — off of their device, destroying the screen.
The flip features no such protective layer. Instead, it uses a proprietary glass that can bend, which Samsung calls “Ultra Thin Glass.”
Samsung also on Tuesday unveiled three new variants of its Galaxy S smartphone range that boast powerful cameras and fast 5G wireless connectivity.
