The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 modernized the nostalgic flip phone form factor with a sprinkle of innovation, a dash of engineering prowess, and a spoonful of slick software mastery.
When I got my hands on the Galaxy Z Flip 4, I couldn't wait to take this flipping foldable beaute with me as I strolled through Downtown Manhattan. It's been years since I owned a flip phone (my last one was the OG Motorola Razr). I was itching to employ a maneuver that every former flip-phone owner secretly loved doing: the ol' badass, one-handed whip back.
However, when I tried this move on the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the Samsung opened up like it was running on slow-mo. Was I disappointed? Yes. Do I understand why it can't do the one thing that makes flip phones great? Again, yes.
The Galaxy Z Flip 4's hinge, which facilitates opening and closing movements, is wound up tightly. This allows the Galaxy Z Flip 4 to pose at several angles, including Flex Mode (a position that makes the Samsung foldable look like a chair). If the hinge was looser, yes, it'd be easier to swing open à la the Channing Tatum GIF, but locking it your desired postures wouldn't be as feasible.
As such, I must count my blessings. I'd take a sturdy hinge over a slackened one any day. Plus, while I can't flip open the Galaxy Z Flip 4 like an action-movie character ready to give their enemy a piece of their mind, I can definitely slam it shut with a satisfying snap.
And perhaps I've been looking into the past with rose-colored glasses. While some of us may be wistful over the flip phone's satisfying maneuvers, we certainly don't miss the text-on-9-keys system, where you had to tap on the same number several times before landing on the letter you wanted. Yes, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is missing the one key feature that makes flip phones great, but it also weeds out all the obsolete tech that made them a nightmare.
Check out our Galaxy Z Flip 4 review in progress to get a better perspective on what we hate and love about the Samsung foldable so far.
