Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro Edition launching next month to celebrate Samsung’s ‘Benz Phone’ from 2003

A few days ago, it was revealed that Samsung will launch the Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro Edition. However, there was no context as to why the South Korean firm is launching this version of the phone as a Retro model. Now, we have some idea about this upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 5 variant, thanks to a report from South Korea (via @Tech_Reve).

Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro Edition is a remembrance of Samsung's famous ‘Benz Phone' from 2003

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro Edition will be launched in South Korea on November 1, 2023, and it will be available in limited quantities. The device is reportedly a commemoration of a flip phone—SGH-E700—that Samsung launched back in 2003. It was famously called the Benz Phone because a Norwegian newspaper had called it “the Mercedes Benz of cell phones” to describe its excellent design.

The SGH-E700 was the South Korean firm's first phone with an internal antenna and an external OLED color screen, allowing users to capture selfies. It was also Samsung's first mobile phone that reached a sales figure of over 10 million. The device uses the same dark blue and silver color combination as the SGH-E700 that was launched 20 years ago. The South Korean firm is buying its flip phones from the 2000 era (via @BullLabs), and the models include SGH-E700, SCH-E470, SPH-E3200, SPH-E3200A, SPH-E3250, SPH-E3250A, SGH-E720, SPH-S4800, SPH-S4850, and SCH-S480.

Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro Edition will be sold in limited quantities

Samsung will sell the Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro Edition in South Korea through Samsung Universe (pop-up store in Seongsu-dong, Seoul), Samsung Online Store, and Samsung Store in Gangnam. The company is holding a secret pop-up launch event for the phone in Korea for which only 30 people can attend (and bring a +1), and eight of those attendees can get the Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro Edition through a raffle.

The South Korean smartphone giant was once again the global leader in Q3 2023 in terms of shipments. The company has been trying to sell more foldable phones over the past few years to increase its ASP (Average Selling Price) and profitability. After Samsung made foldable phones mainstream, several other brands, including Google, Honor, Huawei, OnePlus, OPPO, Vivo, and Xiaomi, have started making foldable phones.