Samsung makes the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 official

arstechnica.com Samsung makes the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 official

Samsung has a new fold-flat hinge, gives the Z flip a bigger screen.

I haven't shopped for a new phone for a while but I have to admit I'm eyeing the new foldables from an accessibility standpoint. I really miss the mechanical keyboards that used to be available on every phone. In the absence of that, I'd love to have the option of a full-screen keyboard on one side and still being able to view the context of what I'm typing about on the other side without everything shrinking the way it does on regular phones.

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I want a flip but Samsung's adding of Meta Services to their devices is a deal breaker.
- I think that's in mostly budget phones because it's a way for Samsung to subsidize the price. I've had multiple flagship Samsung phones and the fold 3/4 and have never seen that installed or had Facebook just randomly pop up. Now if you just want to take a stand against Facebook in general then yeah I feel you
  
  I didn't know the S22 was considered budget.
- That really sucks!
  I'm waiting for the Razr vs Flip reviews to see which one comes out on top, but this is a big - for the flip!

I have the Pixel Fold and the wife has a Galaxy fold 4. I think the Samsung's folding phone is a little too narrow closed but having a large screen with you at all times is a real treat
- I have the Fold 4 too. And I agree. The narrow screen can actually cause some weird issues with the UI in some apps and on some websites. I wish it was just a little wider.

I like the form factor of the pixel fold, but will upgrade to the Fold 5. I try and skip gen 1 devices. Then follow the subs to see if the bugs get worked out...an example would be the Microsoft Duo. Gen 1 & 2, it never got the polish to the underlying os that it needed. But I was really tempted when gen 2 came out.
- I also wait until the bugs get worked out. That's why I haven't tried a foldable yet-I'm still keeping an eye on the new versions to see which one seems to be what I'm looking for.

I would get a Flip, but not for that price
- Yeah, they are so expensive. I can't bring myself to spend that much on a phone these days

Meh; I'm happy with my Z Fold 3. It's powerful enough, and does everything I expect expect from a tablet and a phone, except better cause I don't have to carry and charge two devices anymore.
The Pixel Fold is interesting. Can't wait to buy the latest model 5 years from now. Maybe by then they'll finally figure out how the eliminate the crease. Or even better, maybe in 5 years they'll finally come up with a phone that rolls into a cylinder, like a roll of film or roller window blinds. Pull out the screen a little bit for a phone-like experience. Pull it out more for a tablet. Please send me a check, Google.
- imagine a phone the size of an e-cigarette that rolls out... 😍
  
  Wouldn't you be worried you'd lose it allt he time?

love my z fold 2, will be upgrading to the fold 5 and and grabbing the slim case with s pen. will probably upgrade again when they figure out how to put the pen inside of the phone like the note.

Been rocking a Z-Fold 3 since it came out and love it, came from a Pixel 3xl. IMO the way Samsung polishes the Android OS makes it superior, and having the ability to fold out to a tablet at any time is awesome.
Will most likely upgrade to the 5 once it comes out, pretty excited to see this!
- Been rocking a Z-Fold 3 since it came out and love it,
  Same here. Or I was until I dropped my Fold 3 to repair center to replace the inner screen protector. As they peel out the screen protector, they broke the inner screen 😅
  ..so currently I'm waiting until they get new screen (and IIRC, screen includes new batteries) and replace that under warranty.
  And because of their error, I basically get almost brand new phone (as inner screen and battery are two parts what could die first), so I'm not complaining 😬.
  And I'm not in hurry to replace Fold 3 just yet 😄

I love seeing tech advancements like these, but, are there any real benefits in a Z flip? I find it more of a hassle to have to unfold the thing then fold it back (I'm asking this with honest curiosity!)
- I'm not sure what the benefits would be there, either. The small form factor may be nice for people who have to carry it in their pocket, but I'm not sure if it would be worth it for me personally. It seems cell phones are always either trending ever larger or smaller, and this particular lineup sort of covers both angles.
  
  Yeah, I mean, the Z fold makes much more sense to me from a practical point of view, I wouldn't buy it, but I find it better than the z flip

I have to carry two phones due to my job and have been considering a flip to shrink the overall footprint of devices in my pockets. I can't tell if the screen protector issues on previous models is overblown or not, but it feels like a real love it or hate it device.

I was very interested in the flip until I found out that they haven't solved the screen crease issue yet.
The crease on Oppo's flip is almost gone. A much better job than Samsung on that. I'll wait for the next gen.

27 comments