Today, at its annual Galaxy Unpacked hardware event in San Francisco, Samsung announced its flagship (read: very expensive!) line of Galaxy phones, as well as a few more affordable alternatives and a smattering of other accessories.
The company also unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip, its second stab at a folding phone after the much-maligned Galaxy Fold. The Galaxy Z Flip was teased during Sunday night’s Oscars broadcast, but Samsung was holding the formal announcement for its own hyped-up event.
Samsung’s glitzy gala comes at a turbulent time for phone companies. Smartphone sales have been slow for a while, and makers are trying to get those numbers up by doubling down on expensive “pro” models, testing experimental form factors, and—craziest of all—releasing phones that are actually affordable, in markets where premium typically sells.
The event is also happening as the world is keeping a close watch on the coronavirus, which has killed more than 1,000 people so far. Its macroeconomic impact is widespread as well. According to a report released last week by technology analyst Canalys, the coronavirus could cut smartphone production in half. Samsung execs have already pulled back from the Mobile World Congress conference scheduled for later in February, as other companies like LG, NVIDIA, and Amazon have cancelled entirely. Still, Samsung is pushing forward, hoping its release of a $1,000 phone is the good news people are looking for.
You can watch the whole event here, or read on for the most important stuff.
Flip Out
The next chapter of Samsung’s bendy phone odyssey is about to unfold. The company first teased its folding phone in a commercial Sunday night during the Oscars. Early reports (aka leaks) suggested that it will be called the Galaxy Z Flip. Today, Samsung confirmed this. The Galaxy Z Flip is the latest folding device from the smartphone giant.
At first glance, the Flip is a different beast than the Galaxy Fold. For one, the Fold had a vertical hinge, so it peeled open like a book. The Flip instead folds from top to bottom, like an old, you know, flip phone. It also looks similar to the folding Motorola Razr reboot, though the Z Flip’s display looks rather elongated.
Differences aside, it’s clear that companies are moving forward with folding screen technology that can fit in one hand. The Galaxy Z Flip also advances the form a bit—its hinge can be situated halfway open, so it looks like a miniature laptop. That lets you enjoy a hands-free video chat, or shoot a time-lapse video without a tripod.
The Z Flip starts at $1,380 when it becomes available on February 14.
The Unpacked event is still ongoing, so check back soon for details. We’ll post updates as we learn more about the Flip.
Galaxy Cluster
Samsung’s new Galaxy S20 line presents some more practical options. There are three phones, each slightly larger than the last. The S20 and its big sibling, the S20 Plus, are the successors to last year’s Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus. Other than size, price, and some differing 5G options, the two models are identical.
But Samsung has shaken things up this year by offering a third option: The Galaxy S20 Ultra. It’s a huge, shiny brick of a phone, with blazing fast internal specs and a spider-eyed monstrosity of a camera on the back. The S20 and S20 Plus have a 6.2-inch display and a 6.7-inch display, respectively, while the S20 Ultra has a 6.9-inch display. The Ultra is also thicker than its sibling phones.
