Samsung’s new foldables are getting a much needed update to reflect a new era spearheaded by Galaxy AI. The new Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 12GB of RAM. Both come with some meaningful updates that make them easier to use and more useful. The Z Fold6 is slimmer and sleeker than ever before with more powerful features that take Galaxy AI to the next level. The Flip6, on the other hand, takes self expression and customisation to the next level with more accessories.
Tag Archives: Foldable
Honor will be Unveiling its First Flip Device on 13 June 2024
Honor is set to enter the foldable phone market with the upcoming launch of the Magic V Flip on June 13, 2024. This announcement comes after a period of speculation and rumours surrounding the new device.
The Honor Magic V Flip adopts a clamshell design, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip series. Images from Honor’s official Weibo account reveal a sizeable cover display that occupies more than half the phone’s back when folded. This display is rumoured to be over 4 inches diagonally, potentially offering a more expansive viewing experience for notifications and quick actions without unfolding the phone.
Confirmed Specifications and Potential Features
Honor has confirmed some key specifications for the Magic V Flip. The phone will be equipped with 12GB of RAM and users will have storage options ranging from 256GB to 1TB. Fast charging capabilities are also confirmed, with support for 66W charging. Previous certifications hint at a 4,500 mAh battery, which could potentially be the largest battery capacity yet seen in a flip phone. While the official camera specifications haven’t been revealed, rumours suggest a 50MP main camera on the rear.
A dedicated launch event scheduled for June 13th in Shanghai, China is expected to unveil the complete specifications, features, and pricing details of the Honor Magic V Flip. Reports suggest three colour options: Camellia White, Champagne Pink, and Iris Black.
OPPO’s Find N3 Flip Makes International Debut
The OPPO Find N3 is just one of two devices that make up the Find N3 series. The other is the Find N3 Flip – yes, we’re talking about the one that debuted a few weeks ago in China. So why are we talking about it now? Well, it’s just cause we have new information for the international version of the phone. OPPO announced both devices for the international market.
The international OPPO Find N3 Flip will be coming in a bevvy of colours: Sleek black, Cream Gold and Misty Pink. The Cream Gold colour is the hero of the trio with intricate details in the finishing of the smartphone. But you’re not looking at this smartphone just cause of the colours.
The Find N3 Flip is definitely more than just looks. It comes packed with the MediaTek Dimensity 9200 processor, one of the fastest and most power-packed processors on the market. It’s also got 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The package should be enough to get you through some gaming, work and even editing those portrait pictures you’ll undoubtedly be taking with the triple camera setup of the Flip.
The hallmark feature of the N3 Flip isn’t the internals though. It’s the form factor and large cover screen. The N3 Flip comes with 3.26-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 382×720 pixels and a peak brightness of 900 nits. The cover display maintains its rectangular shape which looks like a shrunken-down version of the normal phone display. There are two reasons behind this choice according to OPPO. The first is to maintain and expand the functionality of mini-apps for the cover screen. OPPO has spent time collaborating with app developers to create mini-app versions of popular apps. This year, apps like Google Maps, Gmail, TikTok, Telegram and more now have fully functional mini-apps. The second is simply to make room for the first-ever triple-sensor camera setup on a clamshell form factor.
Speaking of the camera, the OPPO Find N3 Flip comes with a triple sensor camera which has a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 sensor with OIS and an f/1.8 aperture, a 48-megapixel Sony IMX581 with an ultra-wide 115° field of view and auto-focus, and a 32-megapixel Sony IMX709 with an f/2.2 aperture and 2x optical zoom. On the selfie front, it comes with a 32-megapixel sensor with autofocus and an f/2.4 aperture. The camera setup is co-developed with Hasselblad and features some distinct modes which are classic Hasselblad. Software-wise, OPPO is bringing its “A” game with its signature camera software enhanced with AI features. The combination allows users to get creamy, natural bokeh while taking deeply detailed shots even in low light.
The Find N3 Flip also comes with an improved hinge. The new hinge has a weight-bearing capacity that is 25% higher than the N2 Flip. It also features zero hinge gaps and an optimised design for better ergonomics. It’s even got an IPX4 rating. The edges are curved so that it feels natural in hand. The phone’s Flexform mode allows the hinge to be kept in place in FlexForm mode which keeps the display erect between 45 to 120 degrees.
Pricing & Availability
The OPPO Find N3 Flip will be available in Malaysia for MYR4,399. Globally the Flip will be retailing for SGD$1,499 which is equivalent to USD$1,091.95 or EUR€1,032.06.
In Malaysia, pre-orders are happening from 19 October 2023 until 27 October 2023. During this period, purchases of the OPPO Find N3 Flip will entitle you to an MYR200 pre-order rebate, free screen protection warranty worth MYR699, a purchase with purchase (PWP) discount of MYR250 on the extended warranty worth MYR499 and a PWP discount of MYR100 on the portable PU case worth MYR149.
OPPO Unfolds a New Level of Productivity and Design with the Find N3
OPPO isn’t content with just photography with their latest move into the foldable segment. The new lineup that makes up the Find N3 series proves that the company is looking beyond the perfect selfie or photo. With the flagship Find N3, OPPO is taking its ambitions to be one of the best in all categories seriously.
The OPPO Find N3 is a book-folding foldable smartphone. The outer display of this device is a 6.3-inch LTPO display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 2,800 nits peak brightness. Unfolded the main screen stands out with a 7.8-inch LTPO display. Both share a 120Hz refresh rate and a pixel density of over 425 pixels per inch.
Display aside, the Find N3 comes with three powerful speakers for authentic stereo sound. The smartphone is also built for an immersive experience with support for Dolby Atmos and Spatial Sound. This is further enhanced by the performance-centred insides of the Find N3. The foldable comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 512GB of UFS4.0 storage and 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM. All of this is powered by a 4,800 mAh battery which supports 67W SUPERVOOC Charging which gives you 80% charge in 30 minutes.
Durability is front and centre with the third-generation Flexion Hinge. The hinge is made of a Zirconium-based liquid metal which makes it 5x stronger than stainless steel. This durability is also been independently verified by TUV-Rheinland and is certified to last for 1,000,000 folds. The new design allows the Find N3 to be one of the slimmest foldable smartphones on the market coming in at only 11.7mm when closed and 5.8mm when opened. It’s also got to be one of the lightest with a weight of only 298g.
Finding that Perfect Photo with Hasselblad Camera Technology
The Find N3 comes with a triple camera setup co-developed by Hasselblad. It’s also one of the most powerful setups on the market with a 48-megapixel Sony LYTIA-T808 sensor as the main sensor. The new sensor can derive more detailed information from a single exposure thanks to the stacked CMOS sensors which process light better resulting in better dynamic range, enhanced details and reduced noise even for low-light pictures. The same rings true for video.
The LYTIA-T808 is complemented by a 48-megapixel Sony IMX581 sensor. This comes with an ultrawide field of view and has autofocus. It’s also 100% larger than other flagship sensors. Completing the trio is a 64-megapixel periscope sensor which comes with an f/2.6 aperture. The combination of the three sensors will allow users to get the best performance from the camera in both low light and day light conditions. It’s also bringing along OPPO’s now signature portrait photography.
Colouring You Productive with ColorOS 13.2 Optimised for the Find N3’s Folds
The Find N3 isn’t running vanilla ColorOS 13.2, instead, OPPO has introduced a bevvy of features designed to help you stay productive even on the go. OPPO itself is touting it as “PC-Level productivity in your pocket”.
Some of the optimisations of ColorOS 13.2 include the Global TaskBar, OPPO’s take on the taskbar from Android 13. This taskbar will not only give you your recent apps and quick start bar, it comes with a button for the app drawer in a manner similar to Windows’s Start button.
That’s not all though, OPPO is making it even easier to multitask with simple gestures to enable split-screen and other productivity modes. One of the unique features of the Find N3 is OPPO’s “Boundless View” which allows you to use up three apps simultaneously side-by-side with one of them just off-screen. You’ll be able to interact with the apps by simply swiping to see the app that is off-screen. But of course, being OPPO, this wasn’t enough. The company is also bringing an extension of this mode called “15-inch Boundless View” which displays all three apps in the 7.8-inch tablet view. OPPO touts this feature as a 15-inch display in your hands.
Pricing & Availability
The OPPO Find N3 will be available in Champagne Gold which comes with a glass back and Classic Black which comes with a Vegan leather finish.
The Find N3 will be priced at MYR7,999 in Malaysia. Internationally, it will be priced at S$2399 which is about USD$1,747.56 or EUR€1,652.48.
In Malaysia, pre-orders of the OPPO Find N3 will entitle you to a free OPPO Pad Air (4GB + 64GB) worth 999, a free screen protection warranty worth MYR799 and an extended warranty purchase with purchase (PWP) discount worth MYR300 on its original price of MYR599 and a MYR100 discount on the PU standing case worth MYR199. Pre-orders begin on 19 October 2023 and end on 20 October 2023.
Huawei Silently Introduces Mate X5: A Power-Packed Foldable
Following a series of surprise unveilings, they’ve added another gem to their repertoire – the Huawei Mate X5. Positioned as a direct successor to the Mate X3, the Mate X5 delivers significant under-the-hood upgrades while keeping its design largely intact.
The Mate X5 has a massive 7.85-inch LTPO OLED main display, offering a crisp 2,224×2,496 pixel resolution. Complementing this is the 6.4-inch LTPO OLED cover display with a 1,080 x 2,504-pixel resolution, both are fortified with Kunlun Glass.
While the exterior design maintains its essence, the camera island on the back has slight tweaks. The camera lineup, however, remains unchanged. The Mate X5 comes with a 50-megapixel main camera with an f/1.8 aperture, accompanied by a 13-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide lens and a 12-megapixel f/3.4 periscope module with 5x optical zoom.
Under the hood, the Mate X5 packs up to 16GB of RAM and a capacious 1TB of storage. Although the official chipset details are unavailable, it is speculated to be the Kirin 9000s SoC, the same powerhouse that drives the recently launched Mate60 series. It’s a 5G-ready chip, made in China using SMIC’s 7nm process technology.
What sets the Mate X5 apart is its all-new antenna design, which claims superior signal reception. Huawei’s Lingxi antenna harnesses AI algorithms to intelligently select the best network for optimal connectivity. Moreover, the antennas around the device’s frame feature dual-mode tuning technology, further elevating signal quality.
In the battery department, the Mate X5 steps up its game with a larger 5,060mAh battery, supporting a speedy 66W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, and 7.5W reverse wireless charging. The device runs on HarmonyOS 4 and introduces innovative air gesture controls, enabling users to navigate videos, webpages, and images without touching the main display. Notably, the Mate X5 has IPX8 water resistance and offers two-way BeiDou satellite messaging in China.
Pricing & Availability
The Mate X5 is currently on pre-sale in China via VMall, with open sales expected to commence on September 15. The retail price of the Mate X5 has yet to be announced however, pre-sale indicates a CNY1,000 (MYR641.86) deposit.
The device is available in a new Phantom Purple colour, joining the existing Feather White, Feather Black, Feather Gold, and Green Mountain options.
OPPO’s Find N3 Flip is Coming to Global Markets
Foldables are the new black. A sleek foldable device is turning out to be the best companion you can have when it comes to smartphones. OPPO‘s Find N series of foldable devices is upping the ante with the latest OPPO Find N3 Flip. The N3 Flip is the first foldable smartphone to come with three camera modules.
The New OPPO Find N3 Flip comes in a clam shell form factor and has the rectangular 3.26-inch outer display on the front. This time, the N3 Flip comes with a raised circle which houses the triple sensor camera setup complete with Hasselblad branding. The triple camera setup comes with 50-megapixel primary camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 32-megapixel telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom. On the front, there’s a 32-megapixel sensor for selfies.
The new foldable runs on the MediaTek Dimentsity 9200 processor with 12GBof RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. Inside, the N3 Flip comes with a 6.8-inch flexible LTPO OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The N3 Flip is powered by a 4,300mAh which supports 44W fast charging. Also featured are WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC and USB-C.
Pricing & Availability
The OPPO Find N3 Flip will be retailing at CNY6,799 (MYR4,347.55/USD$934.28) for the version with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal memory. The 512GB version will be retailing for CNY7,599 (MYR4,845.30/USD$1,044.21).
While the device has only just been announced in China, OPPO has already announced that the N3 Flip will be making its way to markets around the world in the near future.
OPPO Find N3 Flip to Debut on August 29, 2023, with the OPPO Watch 4 Pro
The upcoming wave of foldable devices from OPPO is starting to take shape, with clear glimpses into what’s to come. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer has begun teasing its Find N3 Flip and the Watch 4 Pro smartwatch on Weibo, setting a confirmed launch date for later this month on August 29.
The promotional content showcases the Find N3 Flip in a champagne-gold hue, giving us a sneak peek at its new circular triple-camera setup. This innovative departure from its predecessor, the N2 Flip, introduces a triple-camera arrangement, a first for flip-style foldables. The LED flash is positioned just below the Hasselblad-backed container.
Adjacent to the camera array is the external cover screen. This display, expected to measure around 3 inches based on rumours, is oriented vertically on the cover panel – a design choice unique to the Find N3 Flip.
A teaser video featuring Actress and Model, Shu Qi, gives us a glimpse of the upcoming foldable and its UI.
Together with the OPPO Find N3 Flip, OPPO also shared images of the Watch 4 Pro. It looks like the company will be keeping the Watch 3’s design, however, it does appear like the Watch 4 Pro boasts a slightly curved glass layer and features a physical button and rotating crown on its right side.
The Watch 4 Pro’s specifications have been teased, including confirmation of the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chip – the same as its predecessor. The Watch 4 Pro is equipped with ECG, temperature, and SpO2 sensors that continue the line’s fitness and health focus. It’s also rumoured to come with over 85 apps and 2GB of RAM.
Rumours of the Find N3 Flip point to the foldable having a 6.8-inch internal display, akin to the OPPO Find N2 Flip. The circular triple-camera array is rumoured to comprise a 50MP primary camera, 8MP ultrawide, and a 32MP telephoto lens.
What sets the Find N3 Flip apart is the inclusion of the telephoto lens, a departure from competitors like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Motorola Razr Plus, which omit such a feature.
It also looks like OPPO has already started pre-orders for the FInd N3 Flip on its Weibo page. Users in China are able to pre-order their device with a CNY1 deposit. The pre-order entitles customers to the Enco Air 3 Pro earbuds, a phone case, 2 years battery replacement, a 180-day 1 to 1 replacement, a trade-in value of up to CNY1,200 for your old device, and a CNY379 mystery gift.
In a nutshell, OPPO’s Find N3 Flip is looking to make waves with its advanced camera setup, while the Watch 4 Pro promises enhanced capabilities and performance. Stay tuned for more updates!
Instagram Finally Testing Out Tablet Layouts On Android
It looks like the cry for a tablet and large screen-optimised Instagram may be coming to an end. Images have surfaced of the app getting different layouts tested with large-screen devices – in particular the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series. The tests come on the heels of Google applying pressure on developers to develop apps optimised for large-screen devices with penalties coming to the Google Play Store.
Two versions of the large-screen optimised Instagram app have surfaced. The first has a layout where the navigation buttons (i.e. the home, search, new post, reels, and profile buttons) are joined with the notifications and messages buttons on the right hand of the interface. The other looks like a blown-up version of the regular Instagram interface.
It seems like the testing is happening primarily on Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series devices. The first reports surfaced days after the recent announcement of the Galaxy Z Fold5. This comes as no surprise as we already know that Samsung has been actively engaging with developers to optimise apps for large screens and the FlexScreen feature on their devices. However, it seems like layouts will not be exclusive to Samsung’s Foldables.
Honor Prepares to Unfold Tomorrow on September 1, 2023
Honor is prepared to take its thinnest foldable smartphone, the Magic V2, global with an announcement coming up at IFA in Berlin. On September 1, 2023, at 10 am CEST, we can expect Honor Magic V2 to make its global availability known. However, it seems like there may be another smartphone in the works for the announcement as well. It’s rumoured that Honor may announce a second flip-style foldable during the event as well. There’s also a teaser on the website’s announcement of the IFA 2023 Keynote with a mathematical formula.
The Honor Magic V2 debuted earlier this year in July exclusively in China. It stunned with its 4.8mm thickness when unfolded and 9.9mm thickness when folded. It’s also not shying away from being a full-fledged flagship with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, dual 50-megapixel sensors and a 20-megapixel telephoto sensor on the back and a 16-megapixel sensor for the selfie camera. Together with this, the Magic V2 comes with a large 7.92-inch inner screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a large 5,000 mAh battery.
With the increasing number of choices for foldable smartphones increasing this year, it’s going to be very interesting to see how brands continue to edge each other out with design and software. Honor is currently one of three brands with a globally available flagship large-screen, foldable device. If rumours are any indication, the space is about to exponentially more competitive with brands like vivo and OnePlus joining the foray.
Samsung Pushes App Optimization for Foldables Malaysia
The state of apps on tablets and foldables on Android has left users with a lot to be desired. That said, with Android 12L and the upcoming Android 14, these app experiences are becoming easier to optimize. In fact, it wouldn’t be to farfetched to say that they’ve been one of – if not the main – focus of Google’s Android. One of the pioneering heroes of these experiences has been Samsung with their Galaxy Z series.
Samsung has been actively app optimization globally hand in hand with Google. It’s no different in Malaysia. Over the past few years, they have been actively collaborating with partners from various industries to create new and optimized app experiences when it comes to foldables – in particular for the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold smartphones.
Samsung and their pioneering cohort of partners showcased their apps and experiences for the first time this week. These partners include one of Malaysia’s banks, Ambank, global convenience store chain, FamilyMart, Malaysian telecommunications company, Maxis, Malaysian payment platform, Pay4U and Malaysian Coffee chain, ZUS Coffee. These partners have been developing and optimizing their app experiences in partnership with Samsung and Google.
Each of these apps take advantage of the unique form factors of the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold as well as the additional display real estate on the latter. Each experience advances the customer and user experience of the apps allowing these partners to deliver more meaningful for users and catered uniquely to the Malaysian public. These new, optimized apps are rolling out to the Google Play and Samsung Galaxy Stores.
It’s worth noting that these apps are just the beginning of Samsung’s efforts in Malaysia. The company has already begun working with new partners such as Malaysian cinema chains, Golden Screen Cinemas and TGV Cinemas; Gigi Coffee and Zapp. These partners are expecting to roll their optimized apps in the second half of 2023. They are open to working with even more partners. In the words of Luke Au, Head of Product Marketing, Mobile experience at Samsung Malaysia, “We are passionate about making mobile innovation relevant to consumers… We invite local organisations to be part of this industry collaboration and deliver better experiences to their customers.”
In addition, the company also announced an upcoming hackathon catered for students of local universities and institutions of higher learning to develop new, unique experiences for foldable devices. Stay tuned to techENT as we will share more details on the hackathon as they become available.