Samsung Unveils New S20 Flagship Range With 5G, Galaxy Z Flip Foldable Phone

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Samsung has unveiled its new flagship smartphone range, the Galaxy S20, as well as a new foldable phone. The three models in the S20 range all come with 5G and top-of-the-range camera and entertainment features and will go on sale from 06 March. The Galaxy Flip will have a limited initial release, in the US and Korea. 

Samsung presented the new phones at an event in San Francisco. The flagship series includes the Galaxy S20, S20+ and S20 Ultra. All come with 5G, both standalone and non-standalone versions, while the S20+ and S20 Ultra support both sub-6 GHz and mmWave spectrum bands and the S20 works only on sub-6 GHz frequencies. LTE versions also will be available, at a slightly lower cost.

All three models come with a quad HD+ Amoled display in Samsung’s Infinity O design, with 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR 10+ and in-display fingerprint sensor. The range starts at 6.2 inches for the S20 and goes up to 6.7 inches for the S20+ and 6.9 inches for the S20 Ultra.

All three versions of the S20 run Android 10 and Samsung’s One UI 2, as well as a 7nm, octa-core processor, either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 or Samsung’s own Exynos 990, depending on the region. The S20 Ultra offers faster 45W charging for its 5,000 mAh battery, while the other two models support 25W fast charging.

Quad camera with 108 MP sensor

Compared to the previous S10 series, Samsung offers a significant upgrade in the camera, with its biggest sensor to date at 108 megapixels on the S20 Ultra model and 64 megapixels on the S20 and S20+. The quad-camera set-up on the top two models also includes wide-angle, ultra wide-angle, telephoto and depth lenses, while the S20 makes do with a trio of wide angle and telephoto lenses.

The ‘Single take’ feature comes all three, allowing users to capture multiple types of shot in one click. Samsung’s AI-powered ‘Space Zoom’ technology promises up to 30x zoom on the S20 and S20+ and up to 100x zoom on the S20 Ultra, using multi-image processing to reduce quality loss.

Google Duo integration

To help promote the devices, Samsung announced integration with a number of entertainment services on the S20. This includes Bixby routines developed around Spotify, easier uploads of 8K videos to Youtube, access to bonus content from Netflix series directors, and the Google Duo video calling integrated in the dialer on the phone.

Pricing starts at EUR 899 for the S20 with 12 GB RAM, 128 GB internal storage and LTE, or EUR 999 for the 5G version. The S20+ with 12 GB RAM begins at EUR 999 for 128 GB storage and LTE and goes up to EUR 1,249 for the version with 5G and 512 GB storage. The Galaxy S20 Ultra is available only with 5G and 16 GB RAM, for EUR 1,349 with 128 GB storage or EUR 1,549 with 512 GB.

All three phones are available in the colour Cosmic Grey, the S20 and S20+ can be ordered in Cloud Blue, the S20 is available in Cloud Pink, and the S20+ and S20 Ultra also come in Cosmic Black.

Galaxy Buds+ included

An introductory offer will see the new Galaxy Buds+ included free for the first S20 customers in certain markets. The new wireless earbuds feature a 2-way speaker, three microphones and up to 11 hours battery life. The Buds app also now works with iOS devices as well.

Foldable flip phone

At the event, Samsung also presented the new Galaxy Z Flip, its first device with a foldable glass display. The 6.7-inch screen folds in half to snap shut like a compact and fit in the palm of the hand. It comes with a hidden hinge mechanism that can fold the device at multiple angles like a laptop and a shiny body with rounded corners. A 1.1-inch display on the outside presents the time, battery level and notifications, and users can take photos with the rear camera even when the phone is closed.

The Galaxy Z Flip features a customised user interface to take advantage of its form factor. When the device is standing open, the display automatically splits into two 4-inch screens, to view images, text or videos on the top half of the display, and control them on the bottom half. For example, users can watch a video on YouTube while adding comments or searching the site for the next video.

Following the initial technical problems with its first Galaxy Fold, Samsung is releasing the Galaxy Z Flip in “limited quantities” to start. Priced at USD 1,380, it will be available in the colours Mirror Purple and Mirror Black starting in select markets including the US and Korea on 14 February, followed by Mirror Gold in select countries. A special edition made with fashion designer Thom Browne will be available in March.