Samsung's upcoming "Galaxy Z Flip" (or whatever it's called) foldable phone continues to intrigue with every leak. The latest feature exposé by leaker Max Weinbach: the phone can be "locked" in at two angles, 90 degrees and 180 degrees. Why? To function as a kickstand.
"You can use it at 90 degrees as a kickstand and apps like Google Duo or the Camera will just use the top part of the screen," Weinbach tweeted.
More function for the fold —
Besides durability concerns surrounding the hinge and the display, the main question people want to know is: what value does a foldable phone provide over a regular phone? The Galaxy Fold's proposition as a tablet that folds in half into a phone is easy to understand and a foldables like Motorola's Razr and Samsung's new foldable bending in half to fit in your pocket is also a no-brainer. But what else? Why should anyone pay $1,500 or more for a foldable beyond the cool factor?
If Weinbach's information is accurate, the Galaxy Z Flip's fold could pull double duty. I can think of a handful of ways the fold could work as a kickstand. For example, on a cramped plane tray table, the Z Flip's kickstand mode could be a great way to prop it up for watching movies. Of course, propping up the phone for video calls would be useful, too.
This is what Samsung needs, TBH. Come February 11, I'm hoping Samsung gives a number of purposeful reasons that might convince people the foldable phone's more than a gimmick. The folding trick was novel last year, but once more companies release their own foldables, the shine is going to wear off quickly. Function is going to mastter a lot more.
