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My Galaxy Z Flip 5 Impressions After Using It for a Day

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s new cover screen makes a big difference even after just a day with the new phone.

The new Galaxy Z Flip 5 feels like the biggest upgrade to Samsung’s flip phone in years. And it’s all because of the clamshell phone’s giant new cover screen.

It’s only my first day using the Galaxy Z Flip 5, but it already feels like a major departure from the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The Z Flip 5’s spacious cover screen makes the foldable more purposeful when it’s closed. The external screen is no longer just for quick checks of your calendar or the weather; you can actually interact with apps and reply to messages from it.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a step forward for the Z Flip line, though Samsung isn’t the first to explore new uses for the cover screen. Motorola did the same with its new Razr Plus, which just launched in June. It’s difficult to tell which flip phone is better after such a limited amount of time with the Z Flip 5. But right off the bat, I can see how Samsung’s and Motorola’s approaches differ. 

Here’s a closer look at my first impressions of the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

Galaxy Z Flip 5 cover screen

The new cover screen has a lot of potential

The larger cover screen, which Samsung calls the Flex Window, feels intuitive and useful so far. It’s primarily designed for showing widgets, but you can also access a select number of apps. This felt limiting at first, considering you can run just about any app on the Razr Plus’ external display.

But after a little time with the Z Flip 5, I’m starting to see why this makes sense. Samsung is going for a curated experience that relies more heavily on widgets and notifications rather than full apps. 

While I enjoy having the option to open any app on the Razr Plus’ front screen, apps can look squished on a display that small. This applies to the Z Flip as well, which is likely why Samsung limits which apps are supported. However, Samsung says you’ll be able to use Samsung’s Good Lock launcher to run additional apps on the Z Flip 5’s cover screen.

Even though the cover screen doesn’t support every app, you can still reply to notifications from unsupported apps. For example, tapping a notification for a direct message I received on Instagram gave me the option to type a response. 

So far, I’ve been using the cover screen for basic tasks like scrolling through notifications, setting alarms and reading WhatsApp messages. As was the case with the Razr Plus, I had to go into the settings menu to grant apps access to the cover screen. 

At the time of writing, I didn’t see Spotify listed as an option for the external display, which is a shame since I loved propping up the Razr Plus with its front screen facing outward to quickly cycle between tracks. Since I’m traveling in South Korea right now, I’d also appreciate the option to access Google Translate on the external display. 

I’m interested to see what Samsung does with the new Flex Window cover screen. Right now both Samsung and Motorola provide a straightforward experience that involves cycling through a carousel of widgets, checking notifications and launching apps. But both cover screens feel like a halfway point between a smartwatch and a phone. They’re glanceable and compact like a watch, but also large enough for tapping, swiping and typing comfortably. That makes me think there are probably new ways to optimize software, apps and even accessories for this front display in ways we haven’t seen yet, whether that comes from Samsung or a competitor like Motorola. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 closed

Samsung closes the gap

The other major aesthetic change to the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is its new hinge. When shut, both the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 close completely, with no gap near the hinge. But according to Samsung, this is more than just a cosmetic upgrade; it should also improve durability since there are fewer moving parts. Of course, we won’t know how true that is until people get their hands on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 for an extended period of time.

So far, I really enjoy the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s more compact look. By comparison, the Razr Plus feels thinner and lighter and it also has a gapless hinge, so Samsung isn’t first in this regard. But there’s something about Samsung’s phone that feels a bit sturdier. Sometimes I have to give the top half of the Razr Plus a little extra push when opening it to get it to unfold completely. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 opens up straight without any extra effort. But it’s also important to keep in mind that I’ve had the new Z Flip for only a day. I used the Razr Plus over a couple of weeks, so there’s more wear and tear on it.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5’s main screen still has a crease, and it’s just as noticeable as the one on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. During my time in Seoul, I’ve been observing which phones are popular. And I see people using many more Z Flips compared with back home in New York. One way I’m able to tell whether a passerby is using a Galaxy Z Flip — even from a distance — is to see if the screen has a crease. It’s clearly a difficult challenge for any company making a phone with a folding screen, but I hope Samsung solves it in the near future.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 gets the same chip as the Galaxy S23 

Both the Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 both run on the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy processor as the Galaxy S23 series. I look forward to seeing how this impacts battery life and camera performance, since I noticed the Galaxy S23 series improve in both those areas.

My full review will have more tests and comparisons against the Galaxy Z Flip 4 to see how much of a difference the new chip makes. But so far, my battery has dipped from full down to 80% after roughly five and a half hours of use, which seems promising considering I had the adaptive brightness and high refresh rate settings turned on.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has 12-megapixel wide and ultrawide cameras like the Z Flip 4, but Samsung added a new coating to help reduce lens flare. I haven’t had time to compare the Z Flip 5 against other phones, but here are some of my favorite photos taken in Seoul so far.

A photo from inside the Bongeunsa Temple grounds in Seoul near the Coex Center taken on the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
A photo from inside the Bongeunsa Temple grounds in Seoul near the Coex Center taken on the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
A photo from inside the Bongeunsa Temple grounds in Seoul near the Coex Center taken on the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
A photo of the Starfield Library in the Coex Center's Starfield Mall.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 feels like a step in the right direction for Samsung’s flip phone. I’m not sure if gives people who aren’t already interested in flip phones a reason to buy one, but it’s on the right track.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 specs vs. Motorola Razr Plus, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, Motorola Razr 2023

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Motorola Razr Plus Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 5G Motorola Razr 2023
Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate, brightness Cover: 3.4-inch AMOLED (728 x 720 pixels); internal: 6.7-inch AMOLED (2,640 x 1,080 pixels), 1-120Hz Cover: 3.6-inch OLED (1,066 x 1,056 pixels); internal: 6.9-inch (2,640 pixels x 1,080) Cover: 1.9-inch AMOLED (512 x 260 pixels); internal: 6.7-inch (2,640 x 1,080 pixels) Cover: 1.5-inch, OLED (194 x 368 pixels); internal: 6.9-inch (2,640 pixels x 1,080)
Pixel density Cover: 306 ppi, Internal: 425 ppi Cover: 413 ppi, internal: 413ppi Cover: 302 ppi, internal: 425 ppi Cover: 282 ppi, internal: 413 ppi
Dimensions (inches) Open: 6.5 x 2.83 x 0.27 in; closed: 3.35 x 2.83 x 0.59 in Open: 2.91 x 6.73 x 0.28 in; closed: 2.91 x 3.48 x 0.59 in Open: 2.83 x 3.3 x 0.67 in; closed: 2.83 x 6.5 x 0.27 in; hinge: 0.59 in (sagging) Open: 2.91 x 6.73 x 0.29 in; closed: 2.91 x 3.47 x 0.62 in
Dimensions (millimeters) Open: 71.88 x 165.1 x 6.89 mm; closed: 71.88 x 85.09 x 14.99 mm Open: 73.95 x 170.83 x 6.99 mm; closed: 73.95 x 88.42 x 15.1 mm Open: 71.9 x 165.2 x 6.9 mm; closed: 71.9 x 84.9 x 17.1 mm; hinge: 15.9 mm (sagging); Open: 73.95 x 170.82 x 7.35 mm; closed: 73.95 x 88.24 x 15.8 mm
Weight (grams, ounces) 187 g (6.6 oz) 189 g (6.64 oz) 187 g (6.59 oz) 189 g (6.65 oz)
Mobile software Android 13 Android 13 Android 12/13 Android 13
Camera 12-megapixel (main), 12-megapixel (ultrawide) 12-megapixel (main), 13-megapixel (ultrawide) 12-megapixel (main), 12-megapixel (ultrawide) 64-megapixel (main), 13-megapixel (ultrawide)
Front-facing camera 10-megapixel 32-megapixel 10-megapixel 32-megapixel
Video capture TBD 4K 4K 4K
Processor Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
RAM/storage 8GB + 256GB/512GB 8GB + 256GB 8GB+ 128GB/256GB/512GB 8GB + 128GB
Expandable storage None None None None
Battery 3,700 mAh (dual-battery) 3,800 mAh 3,700 mAh 4,200 mAh
Fingerprint sensor Side Side Side Side
Connector USB-C USB-C USB-C USB-C
Headphone jack None None None None
Special features 5G-enabled, IPX8 water resistance, 25W wired charging, wireless charging, wireless power share, dual SIM IP52, 5G-enabled, foldable display, 30W wired charging, wireless charging IPX8, 5G enabled, foldable display, wireless charging, 25W fast charging IP52, 5G-enabled, foldable display, 30W wired charging, 5W wireless charging
US price off-contract $1,000 $1,000 $999 TBA
UK price £1,049 Converts to £780 £999 TBA
Australia price AU$1,649 Converts to AU$1,475 AU$1,499 TBA

Technologies

Apple CarPlay Ultra vs. Google Built-In: How the Next-Gen Auto Software Rivals Compare

Apple and Google are supercharging their car software experiences. Here’s how they differ.

I’d spent an hour driving a $250,000-plus Aston Martin up the Los Angeles coast when my hunger pangs became impossible to ignore, and as I’ve done many times before, I asked Siri (through Apple CarPlay) to find me a taco place. But then I did something no other car on the planet allows: I asked Siri to blast the AC and make the air colder. That’s because the 2025 Aston Martin DBX I drove was the first vehicle to come with Apple CarPlay Ultra, the upgraded version of the company’s car software.

Apple debuted CarPlay Ultra at WWDC 2025 last month, and this year’s version of the Aston Martin DBX is the first vehicle to launch with it (pairing with an iPhone running iOS 18.5 or later). As I drove the luxury crossover around, I fiddled with other features that aren’t available in regular CarPlay, from climate control to radio to checking the pressure on the car’s tires. Ultimately, Ultra gives deeper access to more car systems, which is a good thing.

That reminded me a lot of a new feature announced at Google I/O back in May: Google Built-In, which similarly lets users control more of a car’s systems straight from the software interface (in that case, Android Auto). When I got a demonstration of Google Built-In, sitting in a new Volvo EX90 electric SUV, I saw what this new integration of Google software offered: climate controls, Gemini AI assistance and even warnings about car maintenance issues.

But the name is telling: Google Built-In requires automakers to incorporate Android deeper into their cars’ inner workings. Comparatively, Apple CarPlay Ultra support seems like it won’t require car manufacturers to do nearly as much work to prepare their vehicles, just adding a reasonably advanced multicore processor onboard that can handle an increased task load. (Aston Martin will be able to add CarPlay Ultra support to its 2023 and 2024 lineups through firmware updates because they already contain sufficiently advanced CPUs.)

Both solutions reflect Apple’s and Google’s different approaches to their next versions of car software. Apple’s is lighter weight, seemingly requiring less commitment from the automaker to integrate CarPlay Ultra into their vehicles (so long as it has adequate processing power onboard), which will run through a paired iPhone. Google Built-In does require much more integration, but it’s so self-sufficient that you can leave your Android phone at home and still get much of its functionality (aside from getting and sending messages and calls). 

Driving with Apple CarPlay Ultra: Controlling climate, radio and more

As I drove around Los Angeles in the Aston Martin with Apple CarPlay Ultra, I could tell what new features I would be missing once I stepped back into my far more humble daily driver. 

At long last, I could summon Siri and ask it to play a specific song (or just a band) and have it pulled up on Spotify. Since Apple’s assistant now has access to climate controls, I asked to turn up the AC, and it went full blast. I asked to find tacos and it suggested several fast food restaurants — well, it’s not perfect, but at least it’s listening. 

To my relief, Aston Martin retained the physical knobs by the gearshift to control fan speed, temperature, stereo volume and the car’s myriad roadway options (like driving assistance) in case the driver likes traditional controls, but almost all of them could also be altered in the interface. Now, things like radio controls (AM/FM and satellite) and car settings are nestled in their own recognizable apps in CarPlay’s interface.

Ultimately, that’ll be one of CarPlay Ultra’s greatest advantages: If you enter an unfamiliar vehicle (like a rental), you still know exactly where everything is. No wrestling with a carmaker’s proprietary software or trying to figure out where some setting or other is located. It’s not a complete replacement — in the Aston Martin’s case, there were still a handful of settings (like for ambient light projected when the doors open) that the luxury automaker controlled, but they were weaved into CarPlay so you could pop open those windows and go back to Apple’s interface without visibly changing apps.

The dependable ubiquity of Apple’s CarPlay software will likely become even more essential as cars swap out their analog instrument clusters for screens, as Aston Martin did. There’s still a touch of the high-end automaker’s signature style as the default screen behind the wheel shows two traditional dials (one for the speedometer, one for RPMs) with Aston Martin’s livery. But that can be swapped out for other styles, from other dials with customizable colors to a full-screen Maps option.

Each of the half-dozen or so dashboard options was swapped out via square touchpads smaller than a dime on the wheel next to the other touch controls. On the dual-dial display types, I swiped vertically to rotate between a central square (with Maps directions, current music or other app information) or swiped horizontally to switch to another dashboard option. No matter which one you choose, the bottom bar contains all the warning lights drivers will recognize from analog cars — even with digital displays, you’re not safe from the check engine light (which is a good thing). 

Apple CarPlay Ultra doesn’t yet do everything I want. I wish I could also ask Siri to roll down the windows (as Google Built-In can — more on that later) and lock or unlock specific doors. If Apple is connected to the car enough to be able to read the pressure in each tire, I wish it could link up with the engine readout and be able to tell me in plain language what kind of maintenance issue has sprung up. Heck, I wish it could connect to the car remotely and blast the AC before I get in (or fire up the seat warmer), as some proprietary car apps can do. And while Apple Maps and Waze will be included at launch, Google Maps support is not, but it’s coming later.

These aren’t huge deficiencies, and they do show where CarPlay Ultra could better meet driver needs in future updates, notwithstanding the potentially dicey security concerns for using CarPlay Ultra for remote climate or unlocking capabilities. But it shows where the limits are today compared to Google’s more in-depth approach.

Google Built-In: Deeper car integrations — and, of course, Gemini AI

The day after Google I/O’s keynote was quieter back in May, as attendees flitted between focused sessions and demos of upcoming software. It was the ideal time to check out Google Built-In, which was appropriately shown off in a higher-end Volvo EX90 electric SUV (though not nearly as pricey as an Aston Martin). 

As mentioned above, Google Built-In has deeper integrations with vehicles than what I saw in Apple CarPlay Ultra, allowing users to change the climate through its interface or access other systems, including through voice requests. For instance, it can go beyond AC control to switch on the defroster, and even raise and lower specific windows relative to the speaker’s position: cameras within the car (in the rearview mirror, if I remember right) meant that when my demonstrator asked to «roll down this window» pointing over his left shoulder, the correct window rolled down.

Google Built-In is also connected to Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, for what the company is calling «Google Live,» a separate and more capable version of the Android Auto assistant experience in cars right now. With a Live session, I could request music or directions much like I could with Siri — but my demo went further, as the demonstrator tasked Gemini with requests better suited for generative AI, such as asking, «Give me suggestions for a family outing» and telling it to send a specific text to a contact. 

The demonstrator then asked Gemini for recipe advice — «I have chicken, rice and broccoli in the fridge, what can I make?» — as an example of a query someone might ask on the drive home.

Since you’re signed into your Google account, Gemini can consult anything connected to it, like emails and messages. It’s also trained on the user manuals from each car-maker, so if a warning light comes on, the driver can ask the voice assistant what it means — no more flipping through a dense manual trying to figure out what each alert means.

There are other benefits to Google Built-In, like not needing your phone for some features. But there are also drawbacks, like the need to keep car software updated, requiring more work on Google’s end to make sure cars are protected from issues or exploits. They can’t just fix it in the most current version of Android — they’ll need to backport that fix to older versions that vehicles might still be on. 

This deeper integration with Google Built-In has a lot of the benefits of Apple CarPlay Ultra (a familiar interface, easier to access features), just cranked up to a greater degree. It surely benefits fans of hands-off controls, and interweaving Gemini naturally dovetails with Google’s investments, so it’s easy to see that functionality improving. But a greater reliance on Android within the car’s systems could be concerning as the vehicle ages: Will the software stop being supported? Will it slow down or be exposed to security exploits? A lot of questions remain regarding making cars open to phone software interfaces.

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A Samsung Tri-Fold Phone Could Be in Your Future, if This Leak Is to Be Believed

UI animations might have revealed the imminent release of a so-called «Galaxy G Fold» device with three screens.

Samsung has been showing off mobile display concepts with three screens at trade events such as CES for several years, but it might finally bring one to market soon if a leaked UI animation is any indicator.

As reported by Android Authority, an animated image from a software build of One UI 8 appears to show what some are dubbing a «Galaxy G Fold» device with three display panels. The screens would be capable of displaying different information or working in unison as one large display. The new phone model could debut as early as next week at Samsung’s Unpacked event on July 9 in Brooklyn. 

Huawei released a tri-folding phone in February, the Mate XT Ultimate Design. 

Some websites have gone into overdrive trying to uncover details on what Samsung’s new device might include and how much it may cost, with Phone Arena reporting that according to a Korean media report, it could be priced at about $3,000. 

Samsung didn’t immediately respond to request for comment.

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