Support Page For Samsung’s Flip Phone Goes Live, Hinting A Launch Soon

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Samsung’s flip phone code-named “W2019” has long been in development, but now it is expected to arrive very soon. A few days ago we heard that the handset got its TENAA certification, and now, the official support page for the device is live.

What to expect from Samsung’s flip phone

We have seen in the past that the support page for Samsung’s unannounced devices usually goes live weeks before the official announcement. The same could be the case this time with Samsung’s flip phone.

As far as specifications, not much is known apart from the double (back and inside) screens. However, there are reports that the Snapdragon 845 SoC will power the handset, which may also feature a dual-lens camera. It could mean that the primary camera will get a variable aperture, while the secondary telephoto lens may feature an f/2.4 aperture and support 2x optical zoom.

Samsung is expected to add camera features like its Scene Optimizer and Flaw Detection. Further, TENAA images show a Bixby button. Samsung’s flip phone will likely sport a fingerprint scanner on the side panel. The clamshell form factor hints that it may get a T9 keypad with dedicated keys for home and recent apps. Further, leaked images show a glass-clad back panel, suggesting support for wireless charging.

The leaked images also suggest Samsung’s flip phone won’t be much different from its predecessor. Apart from the two displays, it will likely have a physical keyboard and a dedicated Bixby button on the left side. Last year’s handset featured a pair of 4.2-inch AMOLED displays with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 (FHD).

Additionally, a recent Wi-Fi certification revealed that the handset will run on Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. However, the phone can be expected to get Android 9.0 Pie after its launch. The handset could come with at least 6 GB of RAM.

Why exclusive to a few markets?

There is no official announcement about the release date yet. Samsung launched the W2018 in December, so this year[s model will probably also be made available around the holidays. Like earlier models, the W2019 is expected to be exclusive to China and South Korea.

Clamshell phones were very popular in the mid-2000s, mainly in China and Japan. However, with the advent of touchscreen phones thanks to the iPhone, handsets with clamshell designs faded away. Despite that, many believe the people in those regions still have a liking for the clamshell design. For this reason, Samsung’s flip phone probably won’t be released in other markets.

There is no information on pricing yet either, but considering that it will probably target high-end buyers, it may get a price tag of around CNY17,000 (nearly $2,500).

Here’s what we know about Samsung’s foldable phone

Meanwhile, more information on another long-awaited phone, Samsung’s foldable phone, has been made public. Samsung Mobile head D.J. Koh told CNET on Friday that the handset will offer the functionality of a tablet, but it can be folded into a pocket-size device. Further, Koh hinted that the first foldable phone will be an experiment to gauge the interest of the market.

“Possibly when we start selling the foldable phone, it may be a niche market, but definitely, it will expand. I’m positive that we do need a foldable phone,” Koh said.

Despite being for a niche market, Samsung is very serious about the handset. Koh asserted that the company would never launch a handset if it is not “really meaningful to our customer” or “if the user experience is not up to my standard…”

He stressed that the foldable phone would not be a “gimmick product” that fades away after six to nine months. The executive confirmed that the handset will not be limited to a few regions, like the Galaxy Round with its curved display, which was available only in Korea. Rather, the foldable phone will be launched globally.

Samsung first teased a foldable phone at CES 2013, but so far, it has been unable to launch it. Many expect Samsung to announce the phone at its Developer Conference next month. Samsung clearly wants to be the first to release a foldable handset, but Huawei may beat the Korean firm to that. Huawei is expected to announce a foldable phone this year. The Chinese company already overtook Apple to become the world’s second-largest smartphone maker. Now it aims to unseat Samsung.

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