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YouTube now takes full advantage of Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip
YouTube has been optimized to make the most of the Galaxy Z Flip's folding screen, including hands-free viewing.
Motorola's Razr is still $1,500 but now you can get it in 'blush gold'
The Motorola Razr is now available in blush gold.
Royole's next foldable phone is much better at bending
When we spoke to Royole CEO Bill Liu back at CES 2019, we were told that his company's -- and the world's -- first foldable phone wouldn't be just a one-off. Today, the manufacturer finally unveiled the FlexPai 2, which is equipped with a tougher and more vibrant flexible display, along with a new robust hinge to keep everything together. More importantly, Royole claims to have reduced the crease that's all too common on existing foldable phones, partly thanks to its new material simulation model used throughout the development process.
Android 11 developer preview offers more control over robocalls
Android 11 might make life considerably easier if you're tired of fighting robocalls. Google has released a second Developer Preview for Pixel phones with frameworks that let call-screening apps not only verify calls, but tell you whether it's in your contacts and provide a reason for rejecting a call. Your carrier might know whether you feel a call is spam or something more innocuous.
Huawei’s Mate Xs is a tougher foldable phone lacking the apps you want
Despite nailing the reveal at MWC last year, Huawei's impressive foldable phone, the Mate X, never made it any further than briefings, press conferences and Chinese early adopters -- there's a reason we didn't review it. The Mate X wasn't cheap, it wasn't perfect but it still seemed like the strongest foldable option at the time. (And we all know how Samsung's first attempt turned out.) Samsung's remade Galaxy Fold is the perfect analog for Huawei's Mate Xs 5G, a phone that should be better prepared for prime time. Nothing particularly major has changed since the Mate X. There's still an 8-inch unfolded display, transforming to a 6.6-inch phone in standard smartphone mode. So what has changed on the Mate Xs? There's still a release button to satisfyingly unfurl the smartphone, but the hinge itself has been upgraded. According to Huawei, the number of parts and components inside the hinge is up from around 100 to 150. I can feel the difference -- I think? Huawei didn't have last year's Mate X around for comparisons, but it feels like it has more heft to it -- something that the original Mate X wasn't particularly lacking.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip review: Admire it, don't buy it
To date, every foldable you could buy has been the subject of at least some drama. Royole's FlexPai felt barely finished. The original Galaxy Fold wasn't much more than a prototype, with glaring design issues that were fixed in later production runs. Huawei's Mate X stole the show at last year's Mobile World Congress but was delayed for reasons the company never fully explained. And the Razr? Well, let's just say the results couldn't possibly live up to the hype. The Galaxy Z Flip ($1,380) is different. Of all the foldables I've used, this is the first one that seems to tick all the boxes: Excellent performance, great cameras, and even decent battery life — all packed into a flip-phone-style body that I honestly think makes the most sense for most people. If you're in a rush to embrace one possible future for smartphones, then I don't think you'll do much better than this. But why rush? Embracing that future means putting up with a lot of compromises. And even though the Z Flip has fewer than most, the same lingering foldable criticisms apply. They're more expensive than comparable smartphones. They're inherently fragile and app-makers don't know how to take advantage of them (yet). The Z Flip may be the best of its kind, but until foldables as a whole mature beyond these problems, they're still not worth the splurge for anyone who doesn't want to double as a beta tester.
Samsung will sell its foldable glass display to other companies
Now that the Galaxy Z Flip is available to buy, Samsung plans to sell the phone's signature foldable glass screen to other manufacturers. The screen will carry the same ultra-thin glass (UTG) branding as of the Galaxy Z Flip's "cover window," with Samsung marketing the product as "tough, yet tender."
The Galaxy Z Flip's hinge fibers aren't enough to keep dust out
Samsung made much ado over fiber layers in the Galaxy Z Flip's hinge that are supposed to keep dust and debris from ruining your day, but how effective are they, really? They might not be as effective as you'd like. iFixit has tested the hinge's dust resistance in the early stages of its teardown, and... it's not promising. While it's not surprising that dust would infiltrate other parts of the phone (Samsung explicitly warns the phone isn't dust-resistant), the hinge area was still coated in particles -- enough that they produced a disconcerting crunch when iFixit unfolded the device.
The Galaxy Z Flip's glass screen isn't very durable
When Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip, its display's extra-thin glass drew the attention of many people. It theoretically offered a better feel and more durability than the fragile plastic of the Galaxy Fold. You might not want to get your hopes up, however. JerryRigEverything (aka Zack Nelson) has subjected the Z Flip's screen to a durability test, and the results are... unfortunate. It's just as prone to scratching as the plastic displays of the Fold and the Motorola Razr, to the point where a fingernail can leave marks. Puncture and heat tests didn't fare any better.
Leak shows Samsung's fashionable Galaxy Z Flip Thom Browne Edition
At this rate, there will be very little mystery left when Samsung takes the stage at its Unpacked event on February 11th. WalkingCat, normally known for Windows leaks, has posted a leaked promo video for the previously teased Thom Browne Edition of the Galaxy Z Flip. The fashion-oriented foldable is, apparently, all about Thom Browne's signature stripes. The phone, its case, and bundled versions of the Galaxy Buds+ and Galaxy Watch Active 2 all have hard-to-miss red, white and blue bars on top of a silver background.
A gold-colored Motorola Razr is coming this spring
The reborn Motorola Razr has a few quirks, but one of the most obvious is that all-black exterior. How are you supposed to flex with your foldable phone when it's so inconspicuous? Don't worry -- you'll have a better chance to flaunt your handset soon. Motorola has confirmed that a "Blush Gold" version of the Razr will be available in the spring. More specific launch details weren't available as we wrote this, but we wouldn't expect it to carry a significant premium over its less resplendent counterpart.
Moto Razr test gauges the phone's ability to survive 'pocket sand'
Whether or not you believe the new Moto Razr's hinge is up to the job, there's another lingering question: how well does the phone's foldable screen survive in your pocket? You might have an early answer. JerryRigEverything (aka Zack Nelson) has conducted a durability test that hints at how the phone is likely to fare in a number of brutal conditions. Some are clearly edge cases (few phones will survive a lighter unscathed), but there's also a "pocket sand" test to see how it might survive years of the debris that always seems to find its way into your pants. The result is better than you'd think, but not perfect. While the screen is fully functional, one piece of debris formed a bump under the screen while others got into the hinge and made less-than-reassuring crunching sounds.
Galaxy Z Flip video leak shows a model headed to the US
If our earlier photos of the Galaxy Z Flip weren't enough, don't worry -- yet another leak appears to have shed more light on Samsung's next foldable phone. GreatDeals SmartPhones has posted a video exploring the clamshell device while providing more details in the process. To begin with, the Z Flip appears destined for the US with a conspicuous AT&T logo during the startup process. While there was a good chance the phone would come to the US (just as the Fold did), this seems to remove what little doubt was left.
What to expect from Samsung's Galaxy S20 event
We're less than a week away from Samsung's Unpacked event on February 11th, and, as in previous years, there's been a deluge of pre-release leaks and reports detailing almost every aspect of the company's upcoming devices. We expect Samsung to announce new Galaxy S-series phones alongside a clamshell foldable as well as several other devices. The company may also provide us with a release date for the Galaxy Home. Here's everything we know so far about the products Samsung will likely announce at the event.
Video leak appears to show Samsung's foldable Galaxy Z Flip in action
There might not be much mystery left to Samsung's clamshell foldable phone. Frequent leak sharer Ben Geskin has posted a video of what looks like a prototype of the Galaxy Z Flip. Much like the rumors have suggested, the device really does appear to be a modernized take on the classic flip phone. It's a compact device with a tiny external display when folded shut, but it expands to reveal a very tall display when you pop it open.
This may be Samsung's foldable Galaxy Z Flip
You might not have to wonder what Samsung's clamshell foldable phone looks like -- if leaks are accurate, you're staring at it right now. WinFuture has obtained images and specs for what's believed to be the Galaxy Z Flip, and it looks like what you might have expected, with a few catches. The device reportedly centers on a 6.7-inch, 2,636 x 1,080 folding display with more protective "Ultra Thin Glass" instead of plastic and a hole for the 10-megapixel front camera. On the back, you'd have a 1-inch always-on secondary display that shows the time and notifications when your phone is shut.
Motorola wants you to be careful using the new Razr
Now that Motorola's resurrected Razr is available to pre-order, the brand has released a string of videos to pitch and explain the device -- and it's clear the caveats of other foldable phones still apply. A support video, "Caring for Razr," warns users to keep the screen dry, avoid screen protectors, beware of sharp objects and close the phone before tossing it in your pocket. Also, don't assume that efforts to eliminate the usual folding phone crease have resulted in a perfectly flat display. As The Verge noted, Moto tells users that "bumps and lumps are normal" in the plastic screen.
Samsung's clamshell foldable phone may be called the Galaxy Z Flip
Samsung may not be particularly attached to the Galaxy Fold name. Historically reliable leaker Ice Universe has claimed that Samsung's reported clamshell foldable phone will be called the Galaxy Z Flip, not Fold 2, Bloom or other rumored names. We'd take the claims with a small grain of salt when there isn't much corroborating evidence (Ice acknowledged that the logo is a mockup), it would make sense given the nature of the device -- it's a flip phone that folds in the Z axis, after all.
Samsung's next foldable phone could be this RAZR-like clamshell
Shortly before Motorola revived the RAZR, Samsung made it loud and clear that it was also working on a clamshell foldable phone, so it's no surprise that a prototype would eventually show up in China. Earlier today, Weibo user Wang Ben Hong shared five photos of what he claims to be Samsung's latest foldable prototype -- one that appears to be half the size of the Galaxy Fold. There's no word on internal specs, but we can see the punch-hole camera right below the earpiece, and the lack of chin allows the unfolded screen to extend all the way to the bottom. Both characteristics match the clamshell concept art at this year's Samsung Developer Conference.
Huawei's foldable Mate X smartphone goes on sale in China
There's finally a major foldable smartphone on the market beyond the Galaxy Fold... if you live in China. As promised, Huawei has started selling the Mate X through its Vmall online store. It'll cost a steep 16,999 yuan (about $2,400 US), but you'll also have a unique, 5G-capable device that can unfold to offer a sizeable 8-inch display. There's still no mention of rollouts in other countries, though. Huawei said in October that Mate X access was contingent on 5G deployments in other countries and that expansion was "under review."
