Flip phones are a thing in the late nineties and early noughties but the form-factor has since given way to the all-screen touch-centric design language of smartphones today. Despite that, it seems there is still a market for flip phones in amongst the iPhones and Galaxy phones of the world, and Samsung has been cashing on
Say hello to the W2019, a foldable phone from Samsung but it’s not the foldable phone from Samsung. The W2019 is the latest in a line of foldable phones from the makers of the Galaxy Note 9 with a price tag that would make even the most die-hard iPhone fans blush.
The W2019 sports two displays. A 4.2-inch Full HD+ (1,920×1,080 pixels) Super AMOLED with a 16:9 aspect ratio on the outside and another similar display placed above a numerical keypad when you flip the device open.
Despite the old-school flip form factor, the W2019 gets a top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. If that’s not enough, there’s a premium version that comes with 256GB of storage. Powering the device is a 3,070mAh battery that charges via USB-C cable but there’s no mention of wireless or fast charging.
For pictures, the W2019 is equipped with a dual rear camera setup that is similar to the Galaxy Note 9. That means you will be able to find a 12MP sensor with a variable f/1.5 – f/2.4 aperture lens and a 12MP camera with 2X optical telephoto lens. For selfies, the W2019 gets an 8MP front-facing camera that is only accessible when you flip your phone open. Other than that, there’s also a fingerprint scanner that is mounted to the right side of the device.
According to the price listed on China’s JD website, the base version with 128GB of storage is priced at a whopping CNY 18,999, that’s about RM 11,450 at today’s exchange rate. I couldn’t find the price for the 256GB version, but judging from the price of the base model, expect to pay more. Who would have thought that the rather dated clamshell design can command such a hefty price tag?
The W2019 is currently available in China and South Korea where Samsung continue to sell new phones with the clamshell design. So far there’s no mention of it coming to Malaysia or to any other markets.
