Samsung unveiled their brand new flip phone in a surprise Oscars advert, which aired mere moments after Brad Pitt won his first ever – can you believe? – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Seeing as the 92nd Academy Awards fell just ahead of the February 11 Unpacked keynote event, Samsung opted to tease its next folding phone, giving consumers a decent idea of what the flip phone will look like.
The folding phone is speculated to have a glass screen, and it’s been widely reported that it will be called The Galaxy Z Flip.
Check out the ad for yourself below:
Though we don’t get to see all the information about the hotly anticipated new device, we do get a glimpse at the tiny front display, the folding screen, and the phone’s two shades of purple or black.
The advert begins with small print at the bottom of the screen which reads: ‘You may notice a crease at the center of the main screen, which is a natural characteristic of the screen’.
The phone is also shown to be ideal for video chatting, with the ad showing how it can be placed upon a table at a handy 90-degree angle. We also see how the phone doesn’t appear to fold completely flat; unlike the much-criticised Motorola Razr.
The advert – which is set to jaunty French track Comic Strip by Serge Gainsbourg – then concludes with slogan ‘Change the shape of the future’, appearing alongside a teaser for the upcoming Unpacked event.
At the time of writing, it’s unclear whether this will be a follow-up or a companion to the $2,000 (£1,550) Galaxy Fold, however this phone has been rumoured to be substantially less pricey on account of its smaller screen.
As reported by PC World, rumours suggest the Galaxy Flip Z has a 6.7-inch folding display, dual 12-megapixel cameras at the rear and two batteries. It’s also rumoured to have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus processor.
Of course, the full unveiling of Flip Z will take place at the February 11 event. As reported by CNET, it’s also expected Samsung will launch three Galaxy S20 phones, replacing what would usually have been called the Galaxy S11 phones.
This partial reveal comes after the newly released – and completely fold-able – Motorola Razr received complaints of creaky hinges.
The Razr failed CNET’s fold test, reportedly unable to withstand more than 27,000 folds. This would suggest it wouldn’t hold up under regular use. The pressure is on for Samsung to demonstrate how their new phone is a much tougher device.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.