TV Ad Reveals Samsung's Unannounced 'Galaxy Z Flip' Phone

In an ad break during last night's Academy Awards, Samsung gave viewers an unexpected first look at its yet-to-be-announced Galaxy Z Flip foldable phone, which the company is supposed to officially unveil on Tuesday.

_
The look of the phone in Samsung's commercial matches up with previous leaks, with the device being shown folded up, opened at various angles as well as opened completely flat. At one point, the ad shows the phone sitting on a flat surface at a 90-degree angle while a Google Duo video call takes place on the screen.

The ad also provides a first glimpse of the phone's small full-color digital screen on the back that can show a caller's ID and includes touch sliders for accepting and rejecting calls when the phone is folded up. Two colors of phone are shown – purple and black. The commercial ends with the tagline "Change the shape of the future."

The Galaxy Z Flip is rumored to feature an ultra-thin glass screen that Samsung is said to have developed in an effort to avoid the display issues that plagued the Galaxy Fold. Even so, it looks like Samsung hasn't been able to iron out a common wrinkle of foldable phones – "You may notice a small crease in the center of the main screen, which is a natural characteristic of the screen," reads the ad's small print.

The 6.7-inch Galaxy Z Flip is expected to be more affordable than the Galaxy Fold, which costs $1,980 in the U.S. The original Fold was beleaguered with display issues from the off, and Samsung will be hoping the Flip doesn't suffer a similar fate. There have already been reports of hinge problems with Motorola's just-released $1,499 Razr flip phone.

The Galaxy Z Flip will be officially announced alongside the Galaxy S20 – of which three models are expected – at Samsung's Unpacked event in San Francisco on February 11.

There are no rumors suggesting that Apple has plans to release a foldable smartphone anytime soon, but Apple is undoubtedly looking into foldable devices and has patented some foldable display technology.

Top Rated Comments

heov Avatar
48 months ago
Some of the comments in here lol. Just be happy for innovation. They're folding a freaking phone here... with a glass-like screen?! Don't buy it. Marvel in this new tech! I promise no one will take away your iPhone.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bobbie424242 Avatar
48 months ago

Or, in Gruber’s words:


What problems does this solve? Who has a pocket that isn’t deep enough for an unfolded phone but is thick enough for this thing folded up?
I suppose it will not solve any problem until Apple does it, which will be the time the era of the foldable is officially declared opened and revolutionary.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gnasher729 Avatar
48 months ago

Some of the comments in here lol. Just be happy for innovation. They're folding a freaking phone here... with a glass-like screen?! Don't buy it. Marvel in this new tech! I promise no one will take away your iPhone.
We don't want innovation. We want improvements. This is not an improvement.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fokmik Avatar
48 months ago
This is the best idea for a foldable device...from a normal by today standards 6" , fold it to be pocket friendly like 10 years ago...
Nobody wants to use the tablet in public where everyone can see what you do...like galaxy fold
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farewelwilliams Avatar
48 months ago

Some of the comments in here lol. Just be happy for innovation.
except, we shouldn’t applaud Samsung for throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cardfan Avatar
48 months ago

I find that quite interesting. Back in the "good old days", phones like the Motorola RAZR were what everybody wanted to have. And back then, John Gruber didn't post such nonsense about the RAZR.

Maybe, just maybe, some people still just want... a phone in their pockets? And maybe, just maybe, there are still people out there who use their phone like... a phone? Could this MAYBE be the target audience for such a device?
I think maybe just maybe you’re reaching too hard along with too many maybes. This looks marketed to tweens who are hardly nostalgic about the good old days.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Multi Display CarPlay 1

All-New Apple CarPlay Launching Later This Year With These 5 New Features

Friday September 29, 2023 11:29 am PDT by
At WWDC 2022 last year, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more. Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, but it has still not shared any additional...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

Apple to Address iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issue With iOS 17 Update

Saturday September 30, 2023 9:28 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an iOS 17 update to address a bug that may contribute to the reported iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, according to a statement the company shared today with MacRumors and Forbes reporter David Phelan. Apple also says some recent updates to third-party apps have overloaded the system and contributed to the overheating issue. The report notes that...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...
BMW Logo iPhone 15 Pro

Warning: BMW Wireless Charging May Break iPhone 15's Apple Pay Chip

Sunday October 1, 2023 6:14 am PDT by
If you have an iPhone 15 and drive a BMW, it might be best to avoid charging the device with the vehicle's wireless charging pad for now. Over the past week, some BMW owners have complained that their iPhone 15's NFC chip no longer works after charging the device with their vehicle's wireless charging pad, according to comments shared on the MacRumors Forums and X, formerly known as Twitter. ...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 and 16 Pro: Preliminary Weights and Dimensions

Friday September 29, 2023 12:34 pm PDT by
MacRumors has obtained preliminary information on the weights and dimensions planned for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The information corroborates previous reports suggesting that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will feature larger displays. iPhone 16 and 16 Plus Current information suggests that the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will maintain the same...
CarPlay SharePlay

CarPlay Not Working for Some iPhone 15 Users, Possibly Because of USB-C Cables

Friday September 29, 2023 2:27 pm PDT by
CarPlay is not working as expected for some iPhone 15 users, an issue that is likely linked to the transition to USB-C. There are multiple complaints from MacRumors readers and Reddit users who are unable to get CarPlay to work with their new devices. Cable type and available port options are a common theme in the CarPlay reports, with many of the functionality problems linked to USB-A to...
iPhone 15 USB C Port Keynote

Some USB-C Power Banks Fail to Work With iPhone 15

Thursday September 28, 2023 2:06 pm PDT by
Apple added a USB-C port to the iPhone 15 lineup this year, allowing it to work with USB-C cables, USB-C power banks, and more. It turns out that some USB-C battery packs are not working properly with Apple's iPhone 15, resulting in charging issues. As highlighted on Reddit and the MacRumors forums, not all existing USB-C power banks can be used with the iPhone 15 models, perhaps due to the...