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Flipping heck: Footage leaks of Samsung's upcoming bendy smartphone in action

Ditches mobe-cum-tablet for clamshell

It's a matter of days until Samsung unveils its latest lineup, and already leakers have got their hands on footage of its latest flexible mobe in all its bendy glory.

The footage was posted by a Latvia-based Twitter phone sleuth Ben Geskin.

Any surprises? Not really. As you'd expect with any phone launch taking place in 2020, much of the pertinent details have leaked out in the months preceding the formal unveiling, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is no exception. We've seen renders and photos that strongly suggest a clamshell device in the same vein as the revived Motorola Razr.

This is a far cry from the first volley of foldable phones, which tried to combine tablet and smartphone form factors into the same discrete package. It's also arguably more practical. Although the Samsung Galaxy Fold was a groundbreaking phone in many respects, it was exceptionally hard to slip into the pocket of a pair of skinny jeans, thanks to its sheer girth. Candybar-shaped foldables promise to be small enough to shove into your jeans, while protecting the screen against the inevitable day-to-day scratches and dints.

Of course, when it comes to overall durability, foldable screens remain something of an unknown quantity. Unlike standard solid-state devices, which contain no moving parts, the newest crop of foldable handsets contain mechanical components that are liable to failure. The best example of this is the hinge, which sits along the display fold-point.

Last week, rumours emerged suggesting a $1,400 price tag for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, which would put it comfortably within the same price bracket as the Motorola Razr. This is significantly cheaper than the previous generation of Samsung's foldable phones, which retailed well north of $2,000.

Samsung is also expected to release the Galaxy Z Flip as a carrier exclusive. Again, this isn't too far removed from its strategy with the Galaxy Fold, which is currently only available with EE in the UK. ®

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