Samsung has just formally revealed a 5G-equipped successor to this winter's Galaxy Z Flip: The (obviously titled) Galaxy Z Flip 5G. Five months is a pretty fast turnaround for a sequel, but it brings the company's smallest foldable up to network parity with the Galaxy S20 as well as the upcoming Note20. In short, it's the same Galaxy Z Flip, but packing the latest internals and 5G support — sans mmWave. You'll pay a slightly plumper $1,449.99 for the pleasure, with availability set for August 7th.

SPECS

Key differences between the OG Z Flip and this new upgraded Z Flip 5G are few. In general, this is the Z Flip you already know and love (or, at least, that I loved) but with a more recent, faster Snapdragon 865+ and 5G support. (It's also 0.1mm thicker at the hinge when folded.) Do note, it does lack 5G mmWave support for networks like Verizon's, but unless you live in a handful of areas, that doesn't really matter.

The Z Flip 5G packs what sounds like the same polymer-topped glass folding OLED display, the same too-small "cover display," 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, the same 3,300mAh battery, and identical cameras: a 12MP f/1.8 primary and a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, with a front-facing 10MP f/2.4. That SoC upgrade means a bump to Wi-Fi 6, but the rest of the spec sheet should be familiar. It might have a folding screen, but there's still no in-display fingerprint sensor. Instead, you get a side-mounted capacitive unit.

When it comes to software, Samsung tells us this latest version packs the as-yet-unreleased One UI 2.5. We know it should let you finally use third-party launchers together with gesture navigation, but Max Weinbach dug up a few other camera changes like some new "pro video" features. Some multitasking tweaks for the multi-window tray and app pair are also included. Like the Z Flip, you get a so-called "flex mode" for use half-closed in apps like the Duo, YouTube, and the camera.

It comes with Samsung's Galaxy Z Premier Service, which includes a dedicated support line staffed by real folks for both warranty support and more general questions about the phone. We're also told it will ship with a pre-installed screen protector and will have the same warranty terms as the original Z Flip, including the one-time $120 screen replacement offer.

This spec bump to 5G will run you an extra 70 bucks over the original model, as the Z Flip 5G runs $1,450. Colors this time around are Mystic Gray and Mystic Bronze (both in a matte finish), with availability beginning on August 7th at retailers including Best Buy, Samsung, Amazon, and carrier partners. So far both AT&T and T-Mobile have confirmed plans to offer the handset.

UPDATE: 2020/07/22 7:42am PDT BY RYNE HAGER

A Samsung representative has confirmed to us that the Z Flip 5G will have the same warranty and one-time screen replacement offer that the previous model did. It will also ship with a pre-installed screen protector. Our coverage has been updated with that information.

Source: Samsung