Samsung Galaxy Z Flip - Foldable Phone of the Future

In my humble opinion, foldable phones are the greatest resurgent trend that we are experiencing in this new decade (the worst being, of course, the Mullet). For years, phones have been getting bigger and bigger, and our pockets have not. In fact, Samsung just released a 6.9 inch monster of a phone, the S20 Ultra, that is pushing the boundaries of how big a phone should be. Samsung's first foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold, was a good first try, but it's goal was to take a 7.6 inch tablet-sized screen when opened and effectively cut that in half when closed. Even folded, the Galaxy Fold is still large. The Z Flip, however, seems to be more of a step in the right direction.

Source: cnet

Left: Z Flip, Right: Galaxy Fold

The Z Flip is the second commercial attempt at a clam-shell foldable phone, the first of which was the Moto Razr. In many ways, the Z Flip outpaces the Razr in overall specifications and build quality. The Razr is just a mid-range phone that can fold - which is cool, don't get me wrong - but the Z Flip is a higher end device which takes the best of what the last generation of phones has to offer and puts it into a foldable, compact device. Yes, the Z Flip is not the fastest phone available this year, nor does it have the biggest battery or best screen out of this years new devices. But that's not its goal. It's goal is to take the best phone specs we could get about a year ago and then put it inside a unique form factor that challenges our current idea of a smart phone.

Source: cnn

Samsung also set a new standard for foldables - glass screens. The few foldable phones that have come before the Z Flip, including the Galaxy Fold and the Moto Razr, have all had plastic screens. In general, plastic is softer and much less durable than glass. The Z Flip uses an "ultra-thin" glass panel that somehow does not shatter when it is bent in half. However, we've yet to see any durability tests performed on this new glass, so it is unclear as to whether it will still have the same hardiness as non-bending glass screens.

Source: Android Central

Nonetheless, this is a feat of engineering and is hopefully a glimpse into the future of foldables and smart phone technology.