Technical Description of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
By Alexander Estrella
City College of New York
Instructor: Susan Delamare
October 19, 2021
Author’s Note
This paper was prepared for English 21007 taught by Professor Susan Delamare.
Questions concerning this paper should be addressed to
Contact: aestrella005@citymail.cuny.edu
Table of Contents
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Background…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5
List of Part and Functions…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 14
List of Figures…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 15
References………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 16
Abstract
As technology keeps evolving, people now have inventions in the palm of their hands that would have seemed impossible in the past. This paper is a visual and written explanation of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. This paper includes its historical background, principal parts, their functions, and the effect of this product on society.
Introduction
When talking about smartphones, the United States is one of the leading countries holding a smartphone market, having around 290 million smartphone users (O’Dea, 2021). In this market, Samsung Electronics is the second leading brand keeping 25.43% of the market share with its competitors (Das, 2021). Nevertheless, Samsung has tried to gain more market by releasing its new phone, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 (Fig. 1). This new phone may be like its predecessors but incorporates a lot of noteworthy features. The new Flip 3 is very compact, but it folds into a full-sized smartphone; it has the latest screen tech, modern design, a new set of camera lenses, a current processor, and more (Krol, 2021).
Figure 1
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
Note. Reprinted from “Samsung finally makes an argument for foldable smartphones with Z Flip 3” by J. Krol, 2021, October 20, CNN Underscored.
Background
The introduction of the smartphone in people’s daily life marked the beginning of a new era. As smartphones become increasingly popular, people put away old-fashioned cellphone models, such as foldable cellphones. However, this would change after Samsung launched its new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold in San Francisco on February 20, 2019 (Maddox, 2019).
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold was the first model from the Galaxy Z series that served as a tablet and cellphone (Maddox, 2019). Its main characteristic was that it worked as a cellphone that can be used for texting or calling when folded, but once the user unfolds it, the cellphone would turn into a tablet with a maximum capacity of three running apps at the same time (Maddox, 2019). Since it was the first model in the Z series, it had a lot of design flaws and issues that forced the company into making a better product (Maddox, 2019).
After the hard start of the Galaxy Z Fold, Samsung presented the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, the first folding glass phone, on February 11, 2020 (Hollister, 2020). Samsung named this new product Samsung Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG), a new proprietary form of glass invented by Samsung that defied the laws of physics (Hollister, 2020). The new Galaxy Z Flip was more like the old-fashioned models; it had a 6.7inch folding screen when unfolded but turned into a small square with a small screen on the outside that showed notifications and helped when taking pictures (Vigliarolo, 2020).
With the Galaxy Z Flip on the market, Samsung rapidly followed up with the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, which did not have any new feature but its 5G connectivity. Subsequently, Samsung brought to the market the latest model of the Flip, the Galaxy Z Flip 3, which was named to match up with the newest version of the Fold, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 (Whitney, 2021). Although there was no Flip 2, the model we have today, the Flip 3, keeps its characteristically model and design. Still, it also offers the user more features such as being compact and pocket friendly, 5G connectivity, faster refresh rate, and many more (Whitney, 2021).
List of Parts and Functions
At first sight, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 seems like a regular Samsung smartphone. It is a large phone of 6.5×2.8×0.27 inches with an aluminum body and a Gorilla Glass Victus on its external display (Palmer, 2021). However, when it gets folded, the shape and display completely change. The phone becomes more petite, measuring 3.4×2.8×0.63 inches, and has a Super AMOLED display in the front (Palmer, 2021). In addition, the Samsung Flip 3 includes many new parts and features that make it different from other phones, such as cover screen, rear cameras, main screen, flex mode, and hinge (Fig. 2).
Figure 2
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Parts
Note. Picture taken by A. Estrella, 2021, November 6.
- Cover Screen
When folded, the Flip 3 has a compact shape that allows the user to put it anywhere without taking up too much space. The cover screen is found at the front of the folded phone, measuring only 1.9 inches with a resolution of 260 x 512 pixels (Whitney, 2021). This cover screen is a new feature not seen in any smartphone or in another Flip phone. First, the cover screen displays the date and time just by pressing the power button, and this cover display is customizable for the user’s preference (Krol, 2021). Moreover, by swiping from right to left, the user can access a variety of widgets, which can also be customized, such as media playback, weather, timer, health, calendar, among others (Krol, 2021). Finally, by double-pressing the power button, the user has access to the camera, which allows him to take pictures without the need to unfold the phone (Figure 3). In addition, the user can swipe up or down to switch between the wide and ultra-wide camera or left to right to change to video or camera (Krol, 2021). The cover screen also is helpful when taking pictures with the phone unfolded as it lets the other person see the framing in the mini screen (Krol, 2021). These features make the Flip 3 more usable when folded and save the battery for more uses (Palmer, 2021).
Figure 3
Cover Screen’s Camera Feature
Note. Adapted from “Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 review: The first foldable phone under $1,000” by J. Palmer, 2021, October 20, Tom‘s Guide.
- Rear Cameras
The rear cameras are found right next to the cover screen. The pair of 12MP cameras include an F1.8-aperture wide-angle camera, with a field of view of 78 degrees, and an F2.2-aperture ultra-wide camera, with a field of view of 123 degrees and dual pixel autofocus for optical image stabilization (Whitney, 2021). The wide-angle camera is perfect for taking portrait pictures and capturing a scene, while the ultra-wide camera allows the user to capture more in a specific shot (Krol, 2021). The cameras also have several shooting modes for different situations. Portrait mode gives more depth of field and lighting to every picture. Night mode is used for images under low lighting quality conditions. Hyper-lapse mode works better for long-exposure shots. And Director’s View mode takes videos using other shooting modes and angles (Whitney, 2021). The rear cameras also allow users to take videos of up to a 10x digital zoom and HDR10+ recording (Whitney, 2021).
- Main Screen
The main screen is the 6.7-inch super AMOLED display when the Flip 3 is unfolded (Palmer, 2021). The screen is a layer of Samsung’s Ultra-thin Glass with a final layer made of plastic (Krol, 2021). The inner display has a resolution of 2,640 x 1,080 pixels and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, making the display faster and more accessible for the user’s eyes (Whitney, 2021). The front camera (Figure 4) is found at the top center of the main screen, which is 10MP with an f/2.4 aperture (Palmer, 2021).
Figure 4
Front Camera
Note. Picture taken by A. Estrella, 2021, November 6.
- Flex Mode
The key feature of the Samsung Flip 3 is its capability to fold from a regular smartphone to a petite one, and still be useful. However, Samsung wanted to do more with this feature and introduced the Flex Mode (Figure 5). Flex Mode is the name of the new feature that goes into action when the Flip 3 is partially folded but not completely closed (Whitney, 2021). The software enhancements allow the UI elements of the phone to be split into two displays giving the opportunity for the user to use two apps at the same time (Palmer, 2021). Many apps that support the Flex Mode can change their size and layout for the user to take full advantage of the double screen on the main screen (Whitney, 2021). One example of this feature would be Outlook’s app, the user can see all the emails on the top screen while opening a specific message on the bottom one (Whitney, 2021). On the other hand, apps that still do not support this mode can still be useful on the dual screen by turning on Samsung Labs. This feature makes these apps useful by displaying the media on the top screen and leaving the controls for these same apps on the bottom screen (Krol, 2021).
Figure 5
Flex Mode
Note. Adapted from “Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G: A cheat sheet” by L. Whitney, 2021, August 27, TechRepublic.
- Hinge
The Hinge, also called Hideaway Hinge, is the part behind the folding movement of the Flip 3. The Hinge (Figure 6) is the metal band with the Samsung etched seen when the phone is completely folded. When the phone is unfolded, the Hinge is covered by two halves (Krol, 2021). Without this crucial part on the back of the Smartphone, the characteristically folding movement of the Samsung Flip 3 would not be possible.
Figure 6
Hinge
Note. Adapted from “Samsung finally makes an argument for foldable smartphones with Z Flip 3” by J. Krol, 2021, October 20, CNN Underscored.
Conclusion
The technology used in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 defies everything a person would expect in a smartphone. Usually, people would expect the newer version of an existing phone to be much larger and not have many new features. However, the Flip 3 is not like these new versions. Instead, the Flip 3 has improved in every way to its ancestors, from its cover screen to its unique capability to run two apps simultaneously. Not to mention that this new smartphone has changed the market entirely. It is a regular-sized phone that can become petite and use a small amount of space in your pocket or purse. Not to mention that compared to other brands, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 has an accessible price.
Samsung’s Flip 3 is an attempt to go back again to foldable phones, but it is a leading product that will change the way people see and use smartphones. It has a significant impact on society as it allows people to use their smartphone’s features without fully engaging with the phone. It is perfect for people who want to be more productive with its dual-screen designed for multitasking without needing more devices or a bigger phone. It is a product that eventually will change the market and the way people use cell phones.
List of Figures
Figure 1: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Figure 2: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Parts………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
Figure 3: Cover Screen’s Camera Feature………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9
Figure 4: Front Camera…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
Figure 5: Flex Mode………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12
Figure 6: Hinge………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13
References
Das, S. (2021, August 4). Top 10 Mobile Phone Brands in USA. Mobile Phone Repairing. http://www.mobilecellphonerepairing.com/top-10-mobile-phone-brands-in-usa.html
Hollister, S. (2020, February 19). Folding glass: how, why, and the truth of Samsung’s Z Flip. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/19/21142728/samsung-foldable-glass-galaxy-z-flip-explained-schott-corning
Krol, J. (2021, October 20). Samsung finally makes an argument for foldable smartphones with Z Flip 3. CNN Underscored. https://us.cnn.com/2021/08/26/cnn-underscored/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-3-review/index.html
Krol, J. (2021, October 20). Samsung finally makes an argument for foldable smartphones with Z Flip 3 [Figure]. CNN Underscored. Retrieved November 6, 2021, from https://us.cnn.com/2021/08/26/cnn-underscored/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-3-review/index.html
Krol, J. (2021, October 20). Samsung finally makes an argument for foldable smartphones with Z Flip 3 [Figure]. CNN Underscored. Adapted November 6, 2021, from https://us.cnn.com/2021/08/26/cnn-underscored/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-3-review/index.html
Maddox, T. (2019, February 21). Samsung Galaxy Fold: A cheat sheet. TechRepublic. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/samsung-galaxy-fold-a-cheat-sheet/
O’Dea, S. (2021, August 4). Smartphones in the U.S. – Statistics & Facts. Statista. https://www.statista.com/topics/2711/us-smartphone-market/#:%7E:text=Apple’s%20iPhone%20is%20the%20most,reflected%20in%20customer%20satisfaction%20indexes
Palmer, J. (2021, October 20). Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 review: The first foldable phone under $1,000. Tom’s Guide. https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/galaxy-z-flip-3
Palmer, J. (2021, October 20). Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 review: The first foldable phone under $1,000 [Figure]. Tom’s Guide. Adapted November 6, 2021, from https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/galaxy-z-flip-3
Vigliarolo, B. (2020, February 20). Samsung Galaxy Z Flip: A cheat sheet. TechRepublic. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/the-samsung-galaxy-z-flip-a-cheat-sheet/
Whitney, L. (2021, August 27). Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G: A cheat sheet. TechRepublic. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-3-5g-a-cheat-sheet/
Whitney, L. (2021, August 27). Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G: A cheat sheet [Figure]. TechRepublic. Adapted November 6, 2021, from https://www.techrepublic.com/article/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-3-5g-a-cheat-sheet/
