LATEST GALAXY Z FLIP 5 NEWS
Introduction
More than three years after the release of the original Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung's Flip series remains the world's most successful foldable phone lineup. The Korean tech giant announced the fifth-generation Galaxy Z Flip 5 at Unpacked in Seoul on July 23, 2023, and it might represent the most significant upgrade to date.
Design
Samsung's foldable Flip phone series already underwent a significant cover display upgrade with the release of the Z Flip 3, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5 takes the concept of the cover display to a whole new level. Enter Flex Window.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 cover screen, which Samsung named Flex Window, has a 3.4-inch diagonal and elevates the user experience through Widgets. The Flex Window has an unusual notch, and Widgets were designed around it.
Another huge update consists of the new hinge. It's a waterdrop-style hinge that lets the Galaxy Z Flip 5 fold shut without any gaps.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 measures 71.9 x 165.1 x 6.9 when unfolded, and has a 15.1mm profile when folded. It weighs 187 grams. The phone is IPX8 rated for water resistance.
Specifications
Samsung's new foldable flip phone uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. It has 8GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage. It's powered by a 3,700mAh dual battery with 25W fast charging, wireless charging, and Wireless PowerShare capabilities.
Other specs include 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. Users have one nano-SIM card and one eSIM at their disposal. And like in previous years, the fingerprint scanner is embedded in the side key.
Display
The cover screen has a 3.4-inch diagonal. It's a Super AMOLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 720 x 748 pixels.
The external screen is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and Samsung says that the foldable display has a new shock dispersion layer, which should make it more resilient.
The cover screen Widgets are not the usual widgets users normally find on the One UI home screen. They're Widgets optimized for the cover screen and allow to use apps including (but not limited to) Samsung Wallet, Google Maps, Google Finances, Calculator, and more.
The Flex Window supports a full QWERTY keyboard and allows users to check messages and call logs. And through the new Flipsuit Case, which comes with changeable NFC interactive cards, the Galaxy Z Flip 5's cover screen comes to life and matches the exterior design.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 can also run full apps on the cover screen, however, this is a Good Lock feature, which means it's optional and region-locked.
Camera
Not a lot has changed in the camera department. In fact, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 uses the same camera hardware as its predecessor, except its selfie camera has an f/2.2 aperture instead of f/2.4.
Near the cover screen, the 2023 foldable flip phone has a dual 12MP camera setup. The wide-angle camera has an f/1.8 aperture, 1.8-micron pixels, a field of view of 83 degrees, Dual Pixel Auto Focus, and Optical Image Stabilization.
The accompanying 12MP ultra-wide camera has an f/2.2 aperture, 1.12-micron pixels, and an FOV of 123 degrees.
And lastly, the 10MP selfie camera embedded in the foldable display in a circular cutout has an f/2.2 aperture, 1.22-micron pixels, and an 85-degree FOV.
Software and features
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is one of the fist phones to ship with One UI 5.1.1. The other is the Galaxy Z Fold 5. One UI 5.1.1 is still based on Android 13 rather than Android 14, however, it improves multitasking through better split-screen view and pop-up window. Other refinements come through updated Samsung apps and minor UI modifications. The new Flex Hinge retains every Flex Mode feature, including Flex Cam.
Availability and price
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 was announced on July 26, 2023, and it immediately became available for pre-order in select markets.
Despite the base storage increase from 128GB to 256GB, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 costs the same $999 as the previous model. At least in the USA. In other markets, the entry-level price is slightly higher, but the 256GB and 512GB models still cost a bit less than they did previously.
