For me, the Galaxy Z Flip was one of the most exciting phones Samsung released this year. I have long been a fan of the clamshell form factor and since it all but disappeared over the past decade, I was super excited to see that Samsung brought it back with a modern twist.
As I mentioned in our Galaxy Z Flip review, the biggest compliment you could give the Galaxy Z Flip was that it didn't feel like an unusual device. Here we were in 2020 with a phone that gave us a hit of nostalgia but wasn't just a gimmick. It was very well made, beautifully designed, had great specs and was such a breath of fresh air that going back to a regular phone after using it felt like a downgrade, at least in terms of the experience.
It won't be long now before we start hearing bits and pieces of information about the Galaxy Z Flip 2 or whatever Samsung ends up calling it. Samsung has already hit it out of the park with the Galaxy Z Fold 2. It's so much better than the Galaxy Fold that it makes me even more excited for its next clamshell foldable. I have a few things on my Galaxy Z Flip 2 specs and features wishlist that I hope make the cut.
Design
There's little that Samsung needs to change as far as the design is concerned. I do hope to see some sharper body lines like it has gone with for the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Hopefully, Gorilla Glass Victus will cover the outside glass for increased durability. Even though the glossy finish applied to the case is striking, it's a pain to try and wipe fingerprints and smudges off of it. I'd much prefer the matte finish that Samsung picked for the Galaxy Z Flip 5G. Oh, and if Samsung can make the Galaxy Z Flip 2 a bit thinner, that would be great.
The hinge is an integral part of the design and Samsung already did quite an impressive job with it for the Galaxy Z Flip. I'd prefer even tighter tolerances on the internal CAM structures so that there's an even wider range of angles for Flex Mode. Durability improvements should also be among Samsung's priorities. The more its hinge is protected against dust and foreign particles, the better this device is going to be for customers. The hinge color customization feature Samsung is offer for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will be nice to have too.
Display
Does the Galaxy Z Flip 2 display need to be any larger than the 6.7-inch FHD+ panel on its predecessor? I feel that the size is good enough for such a device but if Samsung could trim the bezels to gain a fraction more screen real estate, I wouldn't mind. There has been some talk about Samsung's second-generation Ultra-Thin Glass panel and I'd expect to see that on the new foldable as it would be a major step forward for durability.
What Samsung absolutely needs to include is the 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. We have already seen how wonderful it is on the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Customers who spend top dollar on Samsung devices every year are already quite used to the higher refresh rates thanks to the Galaxy S20 series, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 2 and even the Galaxy Tab S7+. They're justified in keeping this expectation so I hope Samsung is not going to let them down.
I'd like to see a larger cover display on the Galaxy Z Flip 2 because the 1.1-inch cover display on its predecessor isn't of much use. It's not possible to reply to texts using it and even the preview ticker for notifications just cuts off abruptly. A larger panel would allow us to get common tasks like dismissing notifications or shooting off quick replies without having to unfold the device every single time.
Cameras
There's a lot of room for improvement in the camera department. I'm certainly not wishing for 100x Space Zoom or 8K video recording, that seems completely unnecessary for this device. I'd rather see much better wide-angle and ultra-wide sensors on the device. I sorely missed the telephoto camera on the Galaxy Z Flip as I used to travel frequently back when the world was a simpler place and optical zoom would often come in handy when exploring new places.
As I sauntered across Europe with the Galaxy Z Flip in what seems like a lifetime ago even though it was only February of this year, I found the lack of a telephoto camera quite bothersome. Here's to hoping that we get one on the Galaxy Z Flip 2, I'll surely be a happy camper.
Performance and battery life
Samsung doesn't need to upset the apple cart here at all. It made the great decision of shipping the Galaxy Z Flip with the Snapdragon 855+ which was Qualcomm's flagship processor at that time. It needs to stick with that strategy for the Galaxy Z Flip 2. 256GB base storage is satisfactory and I wouldn't really be miffed if the 8GB RAM wasn't increased as well.
What I would prefer is a larger battery that offers more than the Galaxy Z Flip's combined 3,300mAh capacity. Samsung's battery optimization for the device was on point and it's quite possible to get a full day's use out of the Galaxy Z Flip. Even if the larger battery doesn't drastically improve the screen on time by much, it would balance out the increased power requirements that a larger cover display will have. Lastly, I'd appreciate 25W charging speeds as well.
Software
It's safe to say that the Galaxy Z Flip 2 will come with Android 11 and One UI 3.0. It's also going to be supported for three major Android OS upgrades. I'd like to see more apps supporting Flex Mode, in that they dynamically adjust their UI when the device is propped up at around 90 degrees.
New software features that allow users to take full advantage of this form factor will be welcome as well. Samsung should develop features that provide a unique user experience through the cover display so that its true benefits can be realized.
What's on your wishlist?
This is just about all that I'd like to see on Samsung's next foldable smartphone. Of course, I wouldn't mind being pleasantly surprised if Samsung goes above and beyond our expectations from the device. What's on your wishlist of Galaxy Z Flip 2 specs and features? Drop a comment below and let us know.
