Just when we thought Samsung had tried its luck enough in the foldable phone category, the company surprised us once again by hinting at a new phone, which will supposedly fold up like those flip phones from our past we all remember quite well. The foldable phone concept was teased at the Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) 2019, where the company shared its big plans for the future as well as its commitment to bring redefined and innovative experiences for consumers, developers, and businesses all over the world.
Related: Samsung Galaxy Fold is a $2000 foldable hybrid device
The new folding flip phone concept was shared on-stage by the Vice President and Head of Samsung’s framework R&D group, Sally Hyesoon Jeong, in the following words:
“This brand new form factor that we’re now exploring will not only easily fit into your pocket, but it will also change the way you use your phone, even when you take photos and videos.”
Attendees of #SDC19 got a sneak peek at a brand new form factor Samsung is exploring for the foldable category of devices. #SamsungEvent pic.twitter.com/rGtpvNj0SJ
— Samsung US Newsroom (@SamsungNewsUS) October 29, 2019
Although Samsung did not reveal any other distinct details regarding the new foldable flip phone (including its distinct name, date of release or other hardware information), the short video did give away the phone folding in a way that changes the overall aspect ratio as the picture/video takes up the upper space (with the camera popping up), and the navigation buttons get adjusted in the lower portion. Whether or not this will be a comfortable enough experience for the users is hard to say right now, because we do not know what more this foldable flip phone could have in store for us.
Also read: Microsoft Announces Foldable Surface Neo and Surface Duo
However, Samsung used this new foldable phone concept tease to talk about another important update to its existing One UI with Android. In the words of Jeong:
“As a pioneer in the foldable category, we understand that every innovative form factor requires an equally innovative user experience, and that’s why we need your creativity to bring this new generation of technology to life.”
The new One UI 2 comes aimed at providing a more natural interaction, better reachability, and minimized clutter on display screen to enable users to focus on the task at hand. With the light-sensing feature and blue light, users can enjoy a comfortable experience that will also be easy on their eyes. The display icons are claimed to appear as moving and more vibrant, with the call and message notification pop-ups taking up less space on the screen.
Moreover, One UI 2 also comes with a full dark mode and can be used not only on smartphones and tablets, but even on the wearable device, and new form factors (including foldables).
Despite not knowing much about this new folding flip phone, it seemingly does look like those Motorola flip phones from the past, and might even somewhat resemble the rumored Motorola Razr. Samsung seems fully committed not to let go of the foldable phone tech, in spite of having faced issues with Galaxy Fold earlier. Only time will tell how prepared Samsung is to surprise its consumer base with this new clamshell folding phone concept.
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