Banking on nostalgia, Samsung has just announced the Z Flip5 Retro edition, but it will only be available in selected countries from 1 November onward.
The Retro edition draws inspiration from the classic SGH-E700 that was first released back in 2003. Back then it was a popular phone among multiple segments of the market, thanks to the design that integrated the antenna into the body for the first time. That design choice made the E700 a popular choice among celebrities, which then translated into desire by the consumers.
Samsung has included some design elements in the Galaxy Z Flip5 Retro edition that call back to the E700 model – the combination of indigo blue and silver (the same colour scheme as the E700), a UX redesign that should be reminiscent back to the era of when the E700 was popular, and an exclusive animation on the Flex Window that portrays a cityscape and also a clock widget that is inspired by the second display of the E700 for the Always On Display (AOD).
There are also three Flipsuit cards featuring logos from different eras of Samsung’s history that can be used with the official Flipsuit case, which is included in the box. The Cover Screen will change based on the card that is being used. There is also a collector card engraved with a unique serial number.
I feel that Samsung has missed a chance here to go fully with the Retro theme. Instead of a standard Flipsuit case, they could have created a bespoke case that actually uses the outline of the E700 as part of the design. Using the old status display as a new clock widget is cute, but it feels that Samsung just slapped a new coat of paint and called it a day.
The Galaxy Z Flip5 Retro will be available in limited quantities in Korea, the U.K., France, Germany, Spain and Australia. We asked Samsung Malaysia about local availability, but there is no news as of press time. There is also no announced price for the Retro edition.
