The price remains one of the main obstacles to purchasing a folding smartphone. However, in the Asian market, manufacturers are working hard to make this type of phone more accessible. ZTE has just announced a flip model for less than €400: the Libero Flip.
A mid-range folding smartphone
More than twice as expensive as the Motorola Razr 40, the Libero Flip sports an original design with a large circular photo module on the back. Containing two photo sensors (50 Mpx + 2 Mpx), it also has a 1.43 inch external screen. Thanks to the latter, it is possible to display notifications and access some widgets (pedometer, weather, timer, photo feedback, music…).
Unfolded, ZTE’s new smartphone offers a large 6.9-inch Oled panel with a definition of 2790 x 1188 pixels and a 16 Mpx selfie camera centered at the top of the screen. notch. We are then entitled to a chassis with flat edges, in the wake of the latest high-end smartphones. As a bonus, a fingerprint sensor is placed on the power button.
To cut prices, the Libero Flip unsurprisingly benefits from mid-range performance with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip (like the Razr 40), accompanied by 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. In terms of autonomy, a 4310 mAh battery compatible with 33 W fast charging is included. For connectivity, 5G, wifi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and NFC are included.
Available from February 29, 2024 in Japan, the ZTE Libero Flip is the most affordable folding flip device available:
- 63,000 yen (approximately €386 excluding taxes) on the manufacturer’s website, or approximately €386 excluding taxes;
- 39,800 yen (244€ excluding VAT) with the operator Y!Mobiles, 244 € excluding VAT.
For comparison, the Razr 40 is the most affordable model of this type in France since its launch: €899. For its part, Samsung marketed the Galaxy Z Flip 5 at 1199€ in August 2023.
Moreover, the South Korean firm is not currently considering lowering the price of its clamshell models. Several clues, however, point towards a Z Fold at a tight price for the summer of 2024.