A model of the clamshell handset called the Samsung Galaxy Folder 2 has passed the FCC certification process, possibly pointing to a release in the United States soon. While the phone is modeled after an old-school flip phone, the smartphone packs the features necessary for the device to be useful in the current times like wireless data connectivity and multimedia features. According to the FCC test report, the Samsung Galaxy Folder 2 Dual-SIM model is capable of GSM and WCDMA connectivity as well as LTE-FDD connectivity over bands 1, 3, 5, 7, and 8. In addition, the FCC document stated that the dual-SIM variant of the Samsung Galaxy Folder 2 has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity and additional features like FM radio and GPS.
The Samsung Galaxy Folder 2 is designed to appeal to a niche yet commercially viable market of people enamored with the retro appeal of the flip phones. However, despite its old-school appeal, its internals and feature set make it a serviceable device for certain use cases. The Samsung Galaxy Folder 2 is powered by an unidentified quad-core chip with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal flash storage, with the option to expand the internal storage using a microSD card. Being a flip phone, its 3.8-inch 800 x 480 TFT LCD display is more on the small side, but its hardware keys allow for the full use of the display even when typing on messaging apps. The rear camera has an 8-megapixel sensor capable of 1080p video recording while the front camera has a 5-megapixel shooter. Samsung also included an impressive suite of connectivity features to the Samsung Galaxy Folder 2, with the phone capable of VoLTE, Wi-Fi (b/g/n) at 2.4 GHz, GPS, and Bluetooth 4.2, most of which were mentioned in the FCC document. Also mentioned was the dual-SIM capabilities of the phone, so you can connect to two networks simultaneously. When the phone was released, the phone is running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with a TouchWiz skin on top.
The Samsung Galaxy Folder 2 was released in China last September 2016, with previous reports stating that it would be sold for around $250. While it took around eight months for Samsung to get the FCC certification process, its current features will still be sufficient for people who are in love with the flip phone’s retro charm but still want a serviceable phone within the clamshell interior.
