Mobiles Go Back to Flip in the Galaxy
I have been a long fan of Samsung over the years. In fact, my first Android phone was the Galaxy S2 that served me very well. Since then I have owned multiple Galaxy and note phones. They’ve served me well and I’ve put much of my faith in Samsung, even with their explosive fiasco in the past. The Note series was my gateway drug to life with extra screen real estate, I’ve not looked back since. While phablet isn’t quite what I go for, a screen size above 6 inches is pretty standard and I couldn’t imagine going back to anything below that. I’ve spoken about form factor before and with the announcement of the Galaxy Z Flip, it’s the perfect time to have a little rant about the general direction of the industry.
The days of keypads are long gone and major mobile phone manufacturers seem to feel that customers are looking beyond the usual candy bar form factor that has proved very successful over the last decade. Strides in research and design allows companies to revisit concepts that were introduced in the past to refresh them with modern day tech and style. Flip phones have not done well in the current market and Samsung haven’t done exceptionally well the Fold either. This new clamshell form factor they are going for is smart and I might even call it cute. I’m still questioning the robustness of the device, claims of a couple of hundred of thousand opens without damage remains to be seen under normal use. I would not doubt be opening the phone numerous times throughout the day but even 100 opens a day should still hold up for a while.
When I look at this phone I can’t help but be reminded of a couple of Nintendo portable console outings, Gameboy Advanced SP and Nintendo DS. It might serve as an interesting emulation device but an expensive one at that. For a phone over $1300, it is not a product for me. It seems to be aimed at a specific audience with the hope to appeal to those who want to a different aesthetic out of their mobile device, it is a statement phone after all. I understand the notion of multi-tasking potential with this form factor but the specs are a little disappointing to me.
Spending just a bit more, one can have the Galaxy S20 Ultra with some considerable hardware under the hood. I am certainly still curious about the Galaxy Z Flip and will get my hands on one soon. Perhaps it will make my Steeming experience a little different, hopefully better. I feel there’s room for improvement and it is a phone that will need to prove itself in a market that is fast changing. Genius in the making or dud on arrival? Time will tell.
