Galaxy Unpacked in Soul was an exciting event for Samsung fans, particularly Galaxy foldable, Android tablet, and Watch enthusiasts. But if there's one thing oddly missing from the announcement, it's a special edition foldable phone developed in partnership with a fashion brand. Somewhat disappointing on the face of it; however, in retrospect, Samsung may have had a better and cleverer strategy.
This year there was no Thom Browne Edition foldable phone at Unpacked and no announcement regarding possible collaborations with other fashion houses. Come to think of it, Samsung even skipped over Bespoke Editions this year — although, to be frank, the online-exclusive color options for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 are very attractive.
Story continues after the video
Interestingly enough, rather than announcing limited-edition fashion-branded phones with higher-than-standard price tags few people care about or dozens of Bespoke Edition color combinations few customers have access to, this year, Samsung came up with a different concept. It announced the Flipsuit Case for the Galaxy Z Flip 5, and I personally love it and see great potential in it. But can and will Samsung capitalize on this idea?
There's great potential behind the Flipsuit Case idea
If you missed the news or our hands-on with the Flipsuit Case, the latter is a protective case for the Galaxy Z Flip 5. Simple enough, but what's so special about it? Well, it's highly customizable thanks to NFC technology, and as we demonstrate in the video below, this customization extends to the gorgeous 3.4-inch Flex Window.
The Flipsuit Case consists of a bumper for the Z Flip 5's upper half, a transparent shell for the lower half, and an NFC card that can come in a variety of designs, from superheroes and company logos to cartoon characters, fast food chain brands, and more. The best part is that the NFC card modifies not only the Galaxy Z Flip 5's exterior look but also enables new cover screen themes and animations. Here's how it works.
Although it may seem gimmicky, I think it's the fun kind of gimmick. And in my opinion, the Flipsuit Case has the potential to be better than any fashion collab Samsung has done in the past. For one, it's cheaper than buying a special / limited-edition phone. It also looks way more fun and opens up more and cleverer customization options through NFC cards.
Galaxy Z Flip Flipsuit Case might be better than any fashion collab
Think of the possibilities if Samsung builds on this idea the right way. Ideally, you'd only need to buy one Flipsuit Case and then augment your NFC card collection with new designs. You can drastically change how your Galaxy Z Flip 5 looks – even daily if that's your thing – by swapping the cards for relatively cheap.
Furthermore, if Samsung makes it easy for other companies to create NFC cards for the Flipsuit Case, I suspect many will jump at the opportunity to advertise their brands, logos, and products.
And although you may now think that you wouldn't turn your Galaxy Z Flip 5 into an ad, think again of your favorite show, car brand, piece of entertainment, superhero, video game, music band, K-Pop superstar, or whatever else you might be appreciating or enjoying. And now, ask yourself whether you would customize the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and its Flex Window to look the part.
But at the end of the day, Samsung is the one who will decide the fate of the Flipsuit Case, and that's the tricky bit. Even though I see great potential in the Flipsuit Case, I fear that Samsung will release the accessory with few NFC card designs and never maximize the potential behind this clever idea.
The way I see it, if done right, the Flipsuit Case case – particularly the NFC cards – could become a unique revenue stream for Samsung and an opportunity for other companies to create buzz around their brands while promoting Samsung's latest foldable flip phone. And, of course, it's a way for Z Flip 5 users to personalize their Galaxy Z Flips like never before.
But if done wrong and the great potential here isn't fulfilled, if Samsung makes NFC cards difficult to obtain or doesn't make it easy for other brands to create new designs, the Flipsuit Case could, unfortunately, have a short life and quickly fall into obscurity. And that would be a real shame. Samsung, it's up to you.
