In the past, flip phones were seen as fancy and expensive, only for people willing to spend a lot. But now, Tecno is changing things. They’re coming out with the Tecno Phantom V Flip, a flip phone that’s not super pricey. This means more people can afford it. On September 22, 2023, Tecno will show off this new phone. It’s for folks who like the flip style but want it at a more reasonable price. Here’s everything we know so far about the smartphone.
Design & display
Design-wise, Tecno is sticking to the established book fold design, however, it is taking a unique approach to the camera and the cover display. Unlike other flip phones, the Phantom V Flip will feature a round cover display with a large ring going around it that will feature the camera setup. Tecno has essentially fused the cover display and the camera island into one.
Leaks have revealed that the cover display of the smartphone measures 1.32 inches and will utilize a 466 x 466 resolution AMOLED panel. On the inside, the phone will feature a tall 6.9-inch flexible AMOLED display that has a 1080 x 2460 pixels resolution, a 20.5:9 aspect ratio, and a 144Hz refresh rate. The right side of the upper panel will feature the volume rocker and the power button. A fingerprint sensor is said to be built into the power button for convenient unlocking. Leaked pictures of the device hint towards a metal outer frame.
Performance
To make the smartphone more budget-friendly, Tecno is making some compromises in terms of its performance. Instead of using a high-end processor, the Phantom V Flip is rumored to feature a mid-range Dimensity 8050 SoC. For those who might not be familiar, the Dimensity 8050 is essentially a rebranded version of the Dimensity 1300 SoC, built on TSMC’s N6 (6nm) technology. This octa-core processor consists of four powerful Cortex-A78 cores and four energy-efficient Cortex-A55 cores. The Cortex-A78 cores are divided into one Super Core running at speeds of up to 3GHz and three Performance Cores clocked at up to 2.6GHz. The chipset can handle up to 16GB of LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.
As for graphics, it relies on the Arm Mali-G77 with nine cores. The Dimensity 8050 also supports 4K video recording and a maximum display resolution of 2520×1080 pixels. Devices like the Realme 12 Pro series feature this chip, so you can expect a similar level of performance from the upcoming foldable.
We can expect the Phantom V Flip to come with 8 GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Due to the cost-cutting factor, we can expect it to be LPDDR4x RAM paired with UFS 3.1 or below storage. Additionally, the phone is said to debut with HIOS based on Android 13. Under the hood, the device will have a 4,000mAh battery with 66W fast charging support via a USB-C port. The Phantom V Flip will provide various connectivity options, including Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.3, and 5G connectivity with support for 14 different 5G bands.
Camera
The camera options will be fairly simple with a 64-megapixel primary camera featuring autofocus support, along with a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera and a ring LED light. Upfront, it will feature a 32MP selfie snapper located in the centered punch hole at the top. Currently, it is unclear if the smartphone will have features like OIS, and the ability to use the primary camera as the selfie camera when the device is folded.
Pricing & availability
The global launch of the Phantom V Flip is scheduled for September 22 at 3 PM SGT. Although the brand has kept the pricing under wraps, known tipster Paras Guglani claims that the smartphone will debut in between Rs. 50,000 to 55,000 ($600-$660). It is expected to come in three color options: Minimal Black, Film White, and Periwinkle Purple.
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