Samsung Releasing Galaxy Folder 2 Ahead Of Note 8; Android Flip-Style Phone Arriving This Friday

Samsung Electronics Co. has announced that its successor to the Galaxy Folder, aptly named Galaxy Folder 2, is launching in its home country, South Korea, this week. The release of the formerly China-exclusive handset in the country comes ahead of the highly anticipated flagship phablet, the Galaxy Note 8.

On Thursday, Samsung stated that its new flip-style smartphone is hitting the South Korean market this Friday with a price tag of 297,000 won or US$260, Korea Herald first reported. The company admitted that the handset targets consumers who still prefer the traditional design of mobile phones from the yesteryears.

The Galaxy Folder 2 looks just like its predecessor, which was released in 2013. It has a lean metal design and the familiar folding mechanism that gives it a sophisticated feel. The folder-based hardware is not just its selling point. It comes with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box and features an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 5-megapixel front-facing snapper.

ALSO READ: Samsung gives up on creating display-embedded fingerprint sensor for Galaxy Note 8

The device is also not like the folder phones from the previous decades as it comes with a 96.6 millimeter wide touchscreen display. The relatively larger display makes it easier for consumers to read texts and view pictures and videos. Samsung has also improved some aspects of the user-interface of the device. For instance, users can now adjust the size of fonts and app icons. Some widgets have also been enhanced.

Another selling point of the Galaxy Folder 2 is its physical keyboard. Though the new handset has the same keyboard configuration as the previous installment, Samsung decided to enlarge the keys on the new version to ensure that phone owners do not commit typos, as pointed out by ZDNet.

Samsung’s new phone, which bears the model number SM-G1650, features special physical buttons for loading up texts, contacts, camera and other functions. There’s even a physical key, dubbed as the “social app key,” which is specially designed for social media. Consumers can use this as shortcut to social apps, and it can also be configured to connect to other major applications.

ALSO READ: Samsung working on standalone Gear VR headset with 2,000 ppi?

The Galaxy Folder 2 houses a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory. It has a microSD card slot that can accommodate up to 256GB of added storage space. Finally, it comes with a removable 1,950mAH battery, and Samsung says there will be two versions of the device based on connectivity (3G and 4G) and two versions based on color (black and burgundy), the Android Soul reports citing Samsung’s Korean language website.

The news about the Galaxy Folder 2’s release this Friday comes amid numerous reports that are putting the spotlight on Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 8 phablet. The device is expected to be the company’s successor to the defunct Galaxy Note 7. As such, it is said to be more powerful and safe for use. The tech giant has not announced an official release date yet, but several reports are saying that the handset is set to launch this August.