Galaxy Z Flip 3

Galaxy Z Flip 3. © Samsung.

Samsung makes a comeback on the foldable phone market. The new Galaxy Z Flip 3, successor to the Z Flip 1 (there never was a version 2), features a new build that is supposedly more durable, and is water resistant (IPX8 in this case), as expected of any current phone. Equally important, its starting price runs US$ 1,000, or US$ 450 less than its previous iteration. This puts the Flip 3 on an equal footing with many high-end non-foldable phones, which could win over more buyers. The Galaxy Flip 3 is equipped with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor and 8 GB of RAM as the Galaxy S21; its performance rivals that of any other high-end Android phone released this year.

This type of phone’s chief advantage is that it is compact so it easily fits in a pocket, while still featuring a good-sized screen (6.7 inches OLED 120 Hz). It remains to be seen whether the boasts about its durability – a main concern with foldable displays -- will prove true with long-term use. Pre-orders are open and shipping begins August 27. In Canada, the device, which comes in 7 different colors, is priced at CA$ 1,260 for 128 GB of storage and CA$ 1,330 for 256 GB.

⇨ The Verge, Dan Seifert, “Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 review: flipping into the mainstream.”

2021-08-19