by Flip phones look like something out of a sci-fi movie. Yet here they are, making waves, and becoming more and more popular. With Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 and Motorola Razr 2020 with 5G they might be two of the most well-known devices, but they’re not the only ones worth it on the market today. We’ve rounded up some of the most exciting foldable phones available now — and looked ahead to what’s to come.
Since entering the mainstream consciousness in late 2018, Flip phones are poised to transform the tech industry the next few years, with me 5G. There is a lot of buzz surrounding these devices as they offer the compact footprint of a flip phone and the perks of a smartphone.
The foldable phones on this list are just a hint of what’s to come. The foldable screen will get thinner, the phone will do a better job of managing battery life, and mobile apps will benefit from different screen sizes. Not to mention the convenience of finally being able to fit a smartphone in your pocket.
Google has helped by pledging to provide Android support for folding designs. (Given some of its recent patent filings, it might even release a foldable phone of its own.) In short, get ready to see more foldable phones and devices with foldable screens in the near future. Here are the brands that have flexible phones or are expected to join the foldable craze.
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In late 2019 and early 2020, Motorola announced two flexible Razr phones within months of each other. The 2020 version is the better of the two. (I’ll go into more detail about its predecessor later.) With a list price of $1,400 (£1,399, which is about AU$2,470) this model has 5G, a 48-megapixel camera, more memory and a faster Snapdragon 765G processor. And right now you can pick it up for $600 off on Amazon.
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As a direct competitor to the Razr, the Galaxy Z Flip folds like a clamshell phone and has a stunning design. It remains one of our favorite versatile phones, even months after we originally reviewed it. The Z Flip features a flagship Snapdragon 855 Plus processor, dual internal cameras for wide and ultra-wide photos, and can charge other accessories with PowerShare wirelessly. On August 7, Samsung released a 5G version of the Z Flip that costs extra.
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The successor to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold (more on that below) has improved many of the original’s annoying features. Aptly named Galaxy Z Fold 2, the phone features a refined design and hinge mechanism, a 120Hz display and better app fluidity between the inner and outer screens.
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The Razr (2019) was the long-awaited redux of the classic Razr from 2004. Introduced in November 2019, the first flexible Razr phone excited tech enthusiasts for its innovative yet iconic design. (Back then, flip phones were big and folded like a book). The phone featured a 6.2-inch display, two cameras, and a splash-resistant body.
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As the phone that started the mainstream flexible phone trend, the Galaxy Z Fold provided an exciting glimpse into the future of foldable displays. Its generous 7.3-inch screen extended like a tablet and had a total of five cameras. However, widely reported problems with the display led Samsung to improve the design with its follow-up next year.
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Nubia, an affiliate of Chinese phone maker ZTE, has taken the idea of a foldable phone a step further with the Nubia Alpha. The device launched at $449 (£360 or about AU$640), but is now discounted to $299. It’s unique in that it’s a phone that wraps around your wrist, similar to a smartwatch. It has a flexible 4.01-inch screen, gesture controls and a waterproof design. The 5-megapixel camera can also record 10-second videos. However, it lacks a lot of app support and doesn’t have Instagram, Google Maps, or a web browser.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen an Alpha-like phone. Back in 2016, Lenovo had a prototype device called the CPlus, which had a 4.26-inch display that you bent over your wrist. Unlike the CPlus, the Alpha is an actual device that you can buy. Read our Alpha Nubia hands-on.
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The Mate XS is a minor update to the Mate X, a flexible phone that was released in 2019 but was only sold in China. The Mate XS, however, will be available in other countries, including the UK. (Due to ongoing security concerns from the US government, it’s unlikely that any Huawei phones will come to the US for now.) While no official price has been set, the phone is expected to cost around £2,200 (about $2,850 or AU$4,300) and features a stronger display and the latest Kirin 990 processor. Read our Huawei Mate XS hands-on.
Royole
Despite not being a huge tech name, Royole, a Chinese startup with offices in Fremont, California, was the first to sell a flexible phone. Its flagship device, the Royole FlexPai, was unveiled in November 2018 and started at $1,318 and £1,209 (about AU$2,180 converted).
Its sequel, the FlexPai 2, debuted on March 24 and features 5G connectivity, a flexible 7.8-inch display, and a Snapdragon 865 chipset. Read our first shot of the Royole Flexpai 2.
What about other phone manufacturers?
Other phone companies such as Apple and Google have yet to release specific flexible phones, but there are signs that they, and others, are exploring the idea. This is based on either official reports from the executives themselves or patent filings. Take a look below at some of the companies that may be jumping on the bandwagon with their own upcoming products.
Apple/USPTO
Apple: Rumored, patent pending
In February, Apple once again updated its patent application for a clamshell phone with a foldable screen and body. In the latest filings, the patent concerns “electronic devices with flexible screens and hinges.” These filings continue since Apple’s first nine years ago in 2011. Since then, rumors of a flexible iPhone have been reignited with each new updated document — filed in 2014, 2016 and 2017, and 2019 (pictured here ).
But in its usual style, Apple stayed mum on the details, and this year’s iPhone 12 launch came and went without flexible phones. So far, nothing has come to fruition with any of these patents in the public eye, and there’s been no word on what that device might be (and if it’ll even be a phone) or a timeline for when to expect one. products.
Google: Original, patent pending
In December 2018, tech giant Google filed for a patent for a foldable device. The patent relates to a “foldable display of a computing device and includes a back reinforcement layer, a front plate transparent layer, a cover window transparent layer, and an OLED display layer sandwiched between the back reinforcement layer and the front plate transparent layer.”
Later, until May 2019, when Google then confirmed that it was prototyping the folding technology, but still did not see a clear use case for foldable screens. In addition, Google supports foldable phones with the Android OS platform to develop the technology on the software side as well. With the Pixel 5, Pixel 4A 5G and Pixel 4A launched this year, we’ve yet to see a versatile phone from Google.
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Best known for its affordable TVs, Chinese tech company TCL is working on a series of foldable devices, which include two tablets (one of which folds three times!), two phones, and a cuff phone that you wear on your wrist . Despite not being a household name in the US, you may know TCL better through other brands it owns, namely BlackBerry, Alcatel and Palm.
The upcoming devices all have flexible AMOLED displays that can bend thanks to what TCL calls the DragonHinge. Patented by the company, the hinge allows screens to fold both inward and outward. TCL estimates that its first foldable phone will be available in 2020 and that it could cost less than $1,000 – making it significantly cheaper than the Motorola Razr and the two Galaxy foldable phones.
Xiaomi
Xiaomi Dual Flex or Mix Flex: Confirmed
In January 2019, Chinese phone maker Xiaomi unveiled its foldable phone on social media platform Weibo. Unlike other phones we’ve seen, which only have one bend in the middle, Xiaomi’s phone folds into thirds, with the two sides folding down.
Xiaomi co-founder and Chairman Bin Lin said that this design is “practical and beautiful” and that it “perfectly combines the experience of a tablet and a phone.” Specifications and pricing information were not given, but Xiaomi is currently voting on two possible names: Dual Flex or Mix Flex.
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LG has yet to announce any foldable phones, but we know the company is interested in many different form factors and designs. For example, it has released several phones that come with a second screen component that opens similar to the Galaxy Fold: the LG Velvet, the LG V60 (pictured here), the LG G8X, and the LG V50.
It also released the unique LG Wing, which has one screen that rotates on top of the other, and teased another phone with an extendable screen that opens. We also know that LG has the technology for a versatile phone in the works. In 2014, LG introduced the G Flex, a phone with a curved screen. And at CES 2019, it showed off a rolling LG TV that was later released.
In the meantime, though, these dual-screen accessories will have to do.
