Samsung announces 5G Galaxy Z Flip foldable smartphone, starting at $1,449

Credit: Samsung

The South Korean company announced the 4G version of the smartphone in February. It marked a second attempt at foldable smartphones for the company after the less-than-ideal debut of the Samsung Galaxy Fold.

Compared to the 4G Galaxy Z Flip, the new device is virtually identical in pretty much all respects. The major changes include 5G compatibility, a bumped-up Snapdragon 865 Plus processor and a $70 premium over the 4G model. It's also available in two new colors: Mystic Bronze and Mystic Gray.

The Galaxy Z Flip features a 6.7-inch display that folds width-wise, meaning it more closely resembles cellular flip phones rather than a foldable tablet. It also packs 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage, a 3,300 mAH battery. On the camera front, it sports a 10-megapixel selfie camera, as well as a dual-camera, rear-facing setup with a 12MP wide-angle lens and a 12MP ultra-wide angle lens.

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip is slated to start shipping in August. In the U.S., it'll be available on AT&T and T-Mobile, as well as from online retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy and Samsung itself, in an unlocked variant.

Apple is thought to be working on its own foldable iPhone., as numerous patents and patent applications suggest. The company's first 5G smartphones, the "iPhone 12" series, are largely expected to debut in the fall.