Flip phones go back to the future

Flip phones seem to mimic the fortunes of cargo pants.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

Flip phones seem to mimic the fortunes of cargo pants. In the 1990s cargo pants were a big fashion item, and so were clamshell and flip phones. Now it’s 2020, and cargo pants have made a comeback, and blow me down, so have flip phones.

When mobile phones started to fold shut in the 1990s, the brick phone was immediately reduced into an elegant and petite device that protected itself like a turtle popping into its shell.

The rise of the smartphone with a candy bar design in the 2000s have dominated what we see from brands, until now. The main reason you couldn’t flip a smartphone shut was you’d snap and destroy the display. Flexible displays have changed that and two brands are currently crazy enough to let us fold their screens.

Samsung and the original gangster, Motorola, have phones on the market that fold in half, just like they did in the 90s. Except this time, there is no keypad and they have all the features you expect out of a smartphone today.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip has a large 6.7-inch display on the inside and a very small 1.1-inch touch display on the outside.

With the Z Flip closed, the external display shows notifications and there’s even a screen for selfies. Flicking the device open with one hand is extremely enjoyable and even more satisfying when you close it to end a call. The Z Flip runs Samsung‘s version of Android.

Samsung didn’t just take a smartphone and make it fold, it made changes to how smartphones work when they can be folded. With the Z Flip folded 90 degrees, you can use apps such as the camera in a totally different way. The dual rear cameras provide high quality images and you can capture wide-angle phones. The internal camera is excellent for selfies and video calla, especially when the phone can sit up to look at you.

Samsung also has enabled multi-tasking where you run one app in the top half and something else in the bottom.

The Z Flip is available with 256GB of storage which cannot be expanded and the 3300mAh battery lasted from sunrise to sunset without a problem. I appreciated the fingerprint sensor on the power button and the wireless charging.

The display folds easily and there is no visible crease. You can however feel the bumps in the screen where the hinge sits.

Motorola Razr 2020 

Motorola Razr 2020 flip phone

Motorola was first to announce the return of a flip phone yet it wasn’t first to bring it to market. The late arrival comes at a higher cost yet Motorola is banking on nostalgia to sway you.

The Razr, like the Z Flip, runs Android. The phone has a smaller 6.2-inch display on the inside yet provides a larger 2.7-inch display on the outside. This means less reason to open the device when you can carry out enough actions on the smaller screen.

A single camera on the rear (when opened) handles most situations well while the internal camera could be improved, especially when it comes to wider angle photography such as a group selfie.

The Razr has a large “chin” that sits at the bottom of the device, a nod to the older designs however it makes it almost impossible to open the device on- handed. This is an inconvenience when the candy bar design is all about one-handed use and feels like a step backwards day to day.

Speaking of nostalgia, you can switch the Razr to look and function like the 90s version at the tap of a button. This makes a great party trick.

You can also use the Hello Moto ringtones. I managed an all-day battery on this device too, however I wished it had wireless charging and it sadly has half the storage of the Samsung at 128GB.

I was nervous as to how the folding display would fare over time. During my tests I could hear the screen folding and feel the same bumps in the display. The hinge mechanism is different to the Samsung with visible gears turning on the inside. Razr owners should be very careful and keep the mechanism clear of any pocket debris that could get caught in the middle.

Will you flip in, or flip out?

With folding phones making a comeback, we need to ask why we stopped using them in the first place and why we would want them back. You might find they no longer fit into the world we live in today. But, just like cargo pants, there is a market for them – if that’s what you’re into. In this battle I give the nod to Samsung.

Finally, there is cost. Folding screens are expensive. The Z Flip will set you back $2199. The Razr’s official price has dropped from $2699 to $2299. You can pay less shopping around, but you’ll need deep pockets, the sort of deep pockets that cargo pants offer.

Geoff Quattromani is a tech commentator across radio, print, online and television. Check out his podcast “Technology Uncorked” for new information each week.