Contact: we fold the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

• Presentation: Samsung boasts a good relationship with Google in the presentation of its new phones
• Specifications: Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung's second folding mobile
• Galaxy S20: a 108 megapixel camera to stand up to Chinese mobiles

A screen can be folded in many ways and that is precisely what Samsung has done with the Galaxy Z Flip. Its second flexible display terminal aims to avoid last year's Galaxy Fold errors and is presented as a more casual, better designed phone, with a clear purpose and, above all, much more compact .

Our first contact with the terminal leaves a good feeling but also some doubts . At first, what is surprising is its size. Although it has a 6.7-inch screen inside, folded is a very small phone, almost a square (87.4 x 73.6 x 17.3 mm.) That can be carried comfortably in your pocket.

It is not easy to open with one hand - it is one of its main drawbacks - but the hinge mechanism is solid and the area in which the screen is folded seems less problematic than in the Fold or the newcomer Motorola Razr (with a similar design philosophy). Samsung says it has achieved a stronger finish thanks to a type of flexible glass that can be folded more than 200,000 times . Although there is still a small lump in the bending area, it is much more discreet than in the Galaxy Fold, partly because of the smaller panel size.

What works especially well on the new phone is to be able to partially unfold the screen, as if it were a makeup case. This configuration opens up new possibilities of use for the phone. You can lean on the table, for example, to have a videoconference or take a picture.

Samsung has also adapted some apps to get more out of this configuration. You can watch a YouTube video at the top of the screen and the comments at the bottom, for example. Or a photo highlighted at the top on the thumbnails of an entire album at the bottom.

Fully extended, it is easy to forget that we are facing a folding phone. It feels in the hand like any other phone on the market. As we have said, the hinge area may mark a little on the screen, but it is barely noticeable . The screen has good color but inside the specifications are somewhat less advanced than the Galaxy S20 also presented today. It has a Snapdragon 855+ (a chip that would be expected in a high-end mobile of 2019, not 2020) and a somewhat smaller battery than other terminals. It also has no memory expansion option.

A curious detail is that the exterior screen, although very small (1 inch), is fully functional and can display photos or videos . It can be used, thus, to take selfies , for example, without having to deploy the phone. The screen also shows small notifications, including messages with a line of text.

The cameras are also less advanced than those of the Galaxy S20. It has two, a wide angle and an angle of 12 mpx, in addition to the front camera on the screen. The demonstration area was not ideal for checking the camera's quality, but we believe it will be affordable to the Galaxy S10 last year.

In general, the new format is a success and Samsung seems to be clear about the type of audience it addresses. Not the one who wants the most advanced features but one open to using the phone in new ways and in situations where having to hold a large screen terminal becomes a bit awkward.

With a price of around 1,500 euros and benefits somewhat more limited to those of the S20, it remains, like the Fold, a somewhat exclusive proposition and with a certain prototype air, but it will allow to experiment better with the flexible screens and possibilities that bring to the world of the smartphone . It is not a phone for everyone but aspires to a more diverse audience than the company's first attempt.

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