Foldables are all the rage, and Samsung’s newest foldables are some of the best you can get. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is great for those who want a big screen that they can be productive on. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is great for those who want to relive the days of flip phones. The Flip 5’s form factor allows for fascinating use cases and features you won’t find on other phones. Check out these fun features on your Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Samsung added the Flex Window to the Z Flip 5. The Flex Window is a 3.7-inch screen on the front of the phone that replaces the 1.9-inch screen on the Z Flip 4. This larger screen opens a world of possibilities and includes a QWERTY keyboard. This functional cover screen means you can do several tasks without opening your phone, almost like a smartwatch.
One of the things you can do on the Flex Window is use widgets, almost like a Wear OS watch. The cover screen lets you swipe through these widgets to quickly access information without opening your phone. These widgets are Samsung-specific. They aren’t open-ended but include apps such as weather, alarms, and timers. You can customize the widgets, change the order in which they appear on your screen, and view several at one time using Multi Widget View.
Besides widgets, you can use apps on this larger outer screen. The apps are limited, unlike the Motorola Razr+. You can use apps such as YouTube, Netflix, Google Maps, and more. More may come in the future, but only time will tell.
While the outer screen lets you see information and use apps while your phone is closed, it can also take photos. Since there’s a large screen, you can take selfies and see what the photo will look like before you take it. This is useful because it lets you easily take the photo you want without opening your phone.
The Z Flip 5 comes with a new hinge design, allowing the phone to fold completely closed. Unlike previous iterations of the Flip line, which had a gap when closed, the Flip 5 folds completely flush with no gap. This new and improved design decreases the likelihood of dust and dirt getting into the gap. This decreases the chance your screen gets scratched while in your pocket.
Flex Mode allows you to use the Flip form factor to take advantage of the phone when it’s halfway open at a 90-degree angle. While this feature has worked on previous Flip devices, some notable improvements make it better. One of these features is the addition of a virtual trackpad on the lower screen. You can turn this feature on or off, depending on your preference. It’s an intuitive way to control your device in Flex Mode. This makes it easier to scroll through websites or edit text.
Samsung made improvements to app behavior in Flex Mode. When you change the phone from fully open to Flex Mode, your Flip intelligently adjusts the app to fit the new screen configuration. For example, if you’re watching a YouTube video and fold the phone into Flex Mode, it may show the video on the top half and media controls on the bottom half. This means using the phone feels more natural and useful.
There aren’t many changes from the Z Flip 4, but the changes make a solid camera even better. For one, there is a new main lens that claims to reduce lens flare to take better photos. There have also been software improvements to the camera experience. Samsung updated its software with features such as simultaneously processing data from both lenses and capturing skin tones accurately.
The form factor allows you to take photos and videos in varying situations. For instance, you can use Flex Mode to use your phone as a stand and a camera. You can also open it halfway and hold it like a camcorder to take stable videos. This form factor allows for neat and nostalgic ways to use your camera.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 builds upon what was great about the Z Flip 4. New features, such as the Flex Window and Flex Mode improvements, make the Z Flip 5 a compelling flip phone option. Now that you can use it on the internal and external screens, explore ways to improve your Samsung Keyboard experience.
Maybe if we start telling people the brain is an app they will start using it!
