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The Galaxy Fold isn't the only crazy phone Samsung has released - here are some of its wildest devices from over the years
The Galaxy Fold isn't the only crazy phone Samsung has released - here are some of its wildest devices from over the years
Lisa EadiciccoFeb 23, 2019, 01:00 IST
Samsung/YouTube
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Samsung is no stranger to experimenting with new form factors for smartphones, as it proved again this week with the Galaxy Fold.
The gadget maker has released many unconventional phones over the years, from flip phones with swivel hinges to phones with curved screens.
After much anticipation, Samsung finally unveiled its first foldable smartphone on February 20, the appropriately-named Galaxy Fold.
Starting at a whopping $1,980, the Galaxy Fold is a 4.6-inch phone that "unfolds" to become a 7.3-inch tablet. Samsung is pitching the Galaxy Fold as a luxury one-of-a-kind device for those in need of a gadget with more screen space than your average smartphone. During its keynote, the company boasted about how the Galaxy Fold can run three apps simultaneously on screen, for example.
Samsung has a long history of releasing unconventional cell phones that experiment with new form factors. Here's a look at some of the most distinguished phones the South Korean electronics giant has made over the years.
With the Juke, Samsung attempted to combine a cell phone with an MP3 player, resulting in a super skinny phone that served as a music player when shut and a cell phone when opened. When closed, the phone’s keypad sits tucked away under the screen, which swivels out like a switchblade — undoubtedly the phone’s most memorable characteristic. It also had a spinning metal scroll wheel for navigating the phone’s tiny screen when in music-player mode.
The Samsung Galaxy Round (2013)
Curved screens have become a staple of Samsung’s latest flagship phones, and it all started in 2013 with the Galaxy Round. The device’s screen had a concave curve that was meant to make the phone more comfortable to hold up to your ear and in your hand. Samsung launched the phone in Korea in October 2013.
The Samsung Galaxy Golden
Even in the era of the smartphone, Samsung hasn’t given up on flip phones. The Samsung Galaxy Golden, which the company launched in 2013 according to tech website Gadgets 360, appears to be a smartphone squeezed into a flip-phone form factor. It had two 3.7-inch touch screens: one on the front of the phone’s clamshell cover and one on the inside.
The Samsung Reclaim (2009)
Like many cell phones of its time, the Samsung Reclaim had a slide-out keyboard. What made this phone stand out was its eco-friendly design, constructed from recycled plastic, and packaging made from recycled paper, as CNET notes in its review from 2009. That and its bright green color of course.
The Galaxy S4 Zoom (2013)
The Galaxy S4 Zoom is yet another hybrid device released by Samsung in recent years. As its name implies, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is a smartphone camera mash-up that supported a 10X optical zoom. It essentially looked like a Galaxy S4 with a camera stuck to its back. Samsung released the phone as an additional variant of the Galaxy S4 in 2013.
Samsung Beat DJ (2009)
Samsung's Beat DJ wasn't just designed for listening to music — it was made for DJ-ing too, apparently. The oddly-shaped phone included a DJ app that made it possible to "scratch" a track by pressing the middle of the screen. It appeared to be a flop though, as CNET said the app would be "the most unused feature of all time" in its review from 2009. It also included Bang & Olufsen audio.
Bang & Olufsen Serene
The Bang & Olufsen Serene may be one of the most oddly-designed phones in history. The audio company partnered with Samsung on the device, which was being marketed as a luxury gadget for audiophiles. It had a distinguished trapezoid shape and a rotary style keyboard and was priced at $1,275 unlocked when it launched, according to CNET's review from 2006. But it wasn't very practical, as the review notes that a screwdriver was required to access the battery and SIM card.
Samsung SPH-N270 (commonly called "the Matrix phone")
When it comes to Samsung's SPH-N270, the appeal is in its novelty. The phone is probably only recognizable to those who have seen "The Matrix Reloaded," considering Samsung released this phone in 2003 to coincide with the movie's launch and didn't market it much beyond that, according to PhoneArena. Samsung is said to have only produced a limited number of units, making it a rare find today that can sell for as much as $600 on eBay.
