Ever since the digital device was deemed to be unavoidable, ubiquitous and an integral part of our lives, the search has been on for a credible digital detox, a way to smooth out the relentlessly insistent nature of instant access to information and communications. For digital doubters, the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip phone is a step in the right direction. This new stab at a folding phone demands that you open it up before zoning out of your surroundings. The NY-based fashion brand Thom Browne clearly believes that this smart black square is the key to a quiet life, as well as offering up the perfect canvas for self-expression, both sartorial and digital.
The new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Thom Browne Edition offers refinement from the packaging onwards. The limited edition device has a tailored software interface with app icons that appear to be hand-stitched and lettering that takes its cue from the company image. A Venetian blind style wake screen takes inspiration from the American Gigolo aesthetic that permeates the brand, while there’s also a grey leather case, grey earbuds and the simple Thom Browne four-bar logo to wrap up the all-American style sensibility.
Even the sounds have been given a late-century makeover, with a typewriter clack for the on-screen keyboard, an old-school analogue ringtone and the sound of a shoe tapping on the floor as a notification. The tone is under statement, despite the Z Flip’s bountiful tech specs and cutting-edge appearance – this is the first credible folding phone on the market, with a mechanism that’s good for a minimum of 200,000 actions. The tiny notification screen on the front, 12-megapixel main camera and useful 256GB of storage mean you’re not scrimping on specification while still majoring on style. §
