How Samsung Started a Nostalgic Revolution

Technology giant Samsung has come a long way from its simple beginnings as a grocery store and trading company. First selling everyday staples like noodles to Korean locals and exporting items to China, the company only began dealing in electronics in the 1960s.

Samsung Electronics—the division of the company we’re most familiar with—was formed in 1969 as a home electronics and appliances dealership. It wasn’t until 1988 that the brand released its first cellphone, the SH-100—and the rest, as they say, is history. With the release of the Galaxy smartphone in 2009, the company established itself as a brand leader in the cellphone industry.

Now, Samsung has returned to the drawing board to redesign the modern smartphone with a few “vintage” details. With this move, the tech firm has spurred a nostalgic revolution that is changing the face of today’s smartphone industry.

The Evolution of Cell Phones

The earliest cell phones are colloquially known as bricks—solid, heavy rectangular devices with tiny screens and extendable antennae to get service.

This design changed drastically in 1996 with the release of the Motorola StarTAC. This clamshell-inspired device was the world’s first flip phone. Immediately, every cellphone manufacturer began releasing flip phones, which quickly became a status and fashion symbol among consumers.

The next notable evolution was the Nokia 7650, released in 2002. The phone had a unique moving top section that slid out of the way to reveal a keyboard. Once again, many developers, including Samsung, quickly began releasing phones with sliding mechanisms. The most notable of Samsung’s sliding models were the E250 and D900.

In the same year, Sony Ericsson released the P800. Offering a full touchscreen experience, it was the first phone of its kind and years ahead of its time. Touchscreen devices didn’t catch on until 2007 when Apple released its iPhone, whose bright and seamless touchscreen design forever changed the market. Since then, almost every device released has featured an exclusive touchscreen interface.

Samsung Steps Back

Samsung has enjoyed incredible success since it jumped on the bandwagon and began releasing touchscreen-only devices. As of 2023, Samsung has a global market share of 19.7%—and rising.

With fashion and media currently emulating the 1990s, mobile developers began looking at those first industry-shaking foldable devices again. In 2013, Samsung presented concept ideas codenamed Youm, featuring a sleek folding cell phone.

Between 2013 and 2019, Microsoft and LG also began filing patents for foldable designs. However, relative newcomer Royole beat everyone to the market with the release of the Flexpai—the first modern folding smartphone. Unfortunately, the phone didn’t garner much attention due to design flaws and lackluster performance.

In 2019 and 2020, multiple brands released their versions of foldable smartphones. These included the Huawei Mate X and the previous major player, the Motorola Razr. These models also failed to launch. Finally, in 2020, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip, and the market took notice.

Featuring Infinite Flex Display technology, Samsung’s phone could fold in half and present users with a small cover screen for notifications. When unfolded, the device’s seamless ultra-thin glass (UTG) screen rivaled the size of other modern smartphones.

Initially, the phone was plagued with issues. Consumers complained about the hinge stability of the unique clamshell device, and screen breakages were common. Facing competition from Huawei, OPPO, Xiaomi, and Vivo, Samsung continued perfecting its Infinity Flex Display system.

By 2022, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 was released—the fourth iteration of the clamshell phone. Samsung’s newly sturdy and dependable device and international marketing campaign, Join the Flip Side, attracted global attention.

Sales of the new model doubled from the Z Flip 3, with the 2023 Z Flip 5 selling more than one million pre-orders in South Korea alone before launch. However, it isn’t just the Infinity Flex Display technology that makes these phones popular.

Samsung has achieved incredible processing power strong enough to allow users to take stunning photos, stream and create content, and access everything from top-of-the-line mobile games to popular casino apps that pay out real prizes.

Beyond this, Samsung has managed to recreate the nostalgic feel of the solid, reliable flip phones of yesteryear. Perfectly marrying modern convenience and the brains of a smartphone, the firm’s latest throwback is paving the way for the future of the mobile industry.

Photo by Daniel Romero on Unsplash