Samsung’s Unpacked event has been a yearly reminder that the South Korean tech giant is number one when it comes to smartphones, and this year was no different. In fact, given some of the outrageous specs and impressive features on display at Unpacked 2020, it’s safe to say Samsung has no intention of ever relinquishing that title. Take a look at the Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20 Ultra, and of course, the new Galaxy Buds+ below, and keep an eye out for their release soon.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
Rumors have been swirling for weeks, further fueled by a debut commercial during the Oscars, but it’s finally here: the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. This foldable phone is unlike the Galaxy Fold in that it folds vertically rather than horizontally, and Samsung is pretty excited about it. While details about the Z Flip have been rumored, one interesting aspect of the device that went relatively unleaked is the ability to open at different angles, “like a laptop.” This splits the device into two sections — a viewing area and and an interaction area — making activities like commenting on videos and chatting with friends a lot easier. Plus, it allows for hands-free selfies, as the base of the phone acts as a stand. The Z Flip will come in three colors: mirror purple, mirror black, and mirror gold (in select countries). The “mirror” distinction refers to the reflective material used for the casing of the device, which Samsung speakers mentioned was “beautiful” every chance they got. Other specs include:
Display: 6.7-inch OLEDCameras: 10MP (selfie), 12MP (wide), and 12MP (ultra-wide)Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+RAM: 8GBBattery: 3,300mAhPrice: $1,380Available: Friday, February 14th
As for the longevity of the device, speakers at Unpacked 2020 insisted that the device can last up to 200,000 folds, which is substantially more than the 27,000 folds that broke the Motorola Razr in CNET’s test earlier this week. Still, Samsung has a history of being a bit generous with its insistences, particularly when it comes to foldable phones.
Display: 6.2-inch / 6.7-inch OLED HDR+Cameras: 12 MP (wide), 12 MP (ultra-wide), and 64 MP (telephoto)Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865RAM: 12GBBattery: 4,000mAh / 4,500mAhPrice: $999 / $1,199Available: Friday, March 6th
This event was a chance for Samsung to show off the many partnerships that make the Galaxy S20 so impressive. Its long-established partnership with Google led to the S20 having improved video chat functionality with Google Duo. Its new partnership with Netflix gives exclusive access to content, like behind-the-scenes looks at popular shows. And its partnership with Xbox allows for an improved mobile gaming experience thanks to Samsung’s 5G capabilities. In addition to the two flagship devices announced, Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy S20 Ultra, a heavy-duty smartphone jam-packed with features. So what’s so special about it? For one, it’s huge. The 6.9-inch is bigger than both the S20 and S20+. In addition to that, the battery life is a bit better than the other two, and naturally the price tag is a bit higher. Other specs include:
Display: 6.9-inch OLED HDR+Cameras: 12 MP (wide), 48 MP (telephoto), and 108 MP (ultra-wide)Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865RAM: 12GBBattery: 5,000mAhPrice: $1,399Available: Friday, March 6th
The real kicker for the Galaxy S20 Ultra is the camera system. Equipped with some of the most advanced mobile photography features on the planet, the S20 Ultra is a content creator’s dream. As Samsung mentioned multiple times, the entire live stream of the Unpacked 2020 event was shot on S20 Ultras, which even we have to admit is pretty impressive. To start, the 108MP ultra-wide lens is a masterpiece. It allows users to take massive, beautiful pictures that can be easily cropped without losing any quality. Additionally, the Super Res Zoom allows for users to zoom up to 100x the image size, which is a truly unprecedented amount of clarity for a smartphone. That, combined with the revolutionary Bright Night mode, which pairs 9-in-1 pixel binning tech with the most powerful image sensor on a smartphone in the world, means that the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra takes the smartphone photography to what has to be its logical conclusion. The Galaxy Buds+ will be available on Friday, February 14th and will cost a respectable $149 at launch.
