Samsung revealed a new foldable smartphone in an ad during the Oscars on Sunday night.
The new foldable wasn’t given a name during the ad, but it is rumored to be called the “Galaxy Z Flip.” The company will announce more details during its Unpacked event on February 11, where the company is also expected to reveal its new premium flagship smartphone.
The features
The new foldable smartphone has a clamshell design, much like the new Motorola Razr. From the looks of it, it will have a dual-lens camera system on the rear, and the exterior of the phone has a tiny screen next to the camera for quick bits of information and notifications. It also appears to be touch-sensitive. The ad showed how a user could swipe on the tiny exterior screen to answer a phone call. From the ad, it’s suggested the new foldable will be able to prop itself up and keep its half-open position for hands-free video calls.
It also appears the new Samsung foldable has a gap between its two halves when it’s folded shut, which is a carry-over from the Galaxy Fold’s design. To note, Motorola’s developed a hinge that lets its new Razr go gapless. There was also fine print towards the bottom right of the ad when it aired, which said: “You may notice a crease at the center of the main screen, which is a natural characteristic of the screen.” Indeed, Samsung’s Galaxy Fold had a visible crease where the screen folded, which goes to show just how nascent foldable smartphone screen technology is at the moment.
