Turns out Android flip phones are still a thing
Samsung's Galaxy Folder 2 appeals to nostalgia -- and it's working.
Samsung's Galaxy Folder 2 has a keypad and a touch screen.
If you miss the days before touchscreens took over and the Motorola Razr reigned supreme, the Samsung Galaxy Folder 2 may be just your speed. It launched on Thursday in Samsung's home country of South Korea.
The Galaxy Folder 2 is an Android phone with a flip design that puts a touchscreen on top and an old-school keypad on the bottom.
Although slab-shaped phones like the Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 dominate the mobile landscape, 2017 has shown a rising interest in throwback phones from once-definitive brands like Nokia and BlackBerry.
Samsung and South Korean rival LG have released similar flip phones over the years, mainly in South Korea and China. Another Samsung flip phone, the W2017, is rumored to launch in Samsung's home turf as well. The main difference between the W2017 and the Galaxy Folder 2 is that the W2017 boasts two screens, while the Folder only has one.
Samsung says the Galaxy Folder 2 will go on sale for 297,000 won, which is approximately $260, £205 and AU$345. The specs are pretty much the same as the Chinese variant, with:
- 3.8-inch display
- Android 6.0
- 2GB RAM
1,950mAh removable battery
The Galaxy Folder 2 also comes with a social app button, a pedometer, and 15 ringtones that Samsung claims "focus on the audible spectrum of the middle-aged people." Ouch Samsung, thanks for making us feel old.
We're not going to lie -- there's something nostalgically appealing about this design that makes us not-so-secretly hope for a global release. We suspect that you hope that'll happen, too.