Flip phones got ghosted by their makers, and it's not just Samsung and Motorola that are to blame

While foldables are still a rare sight on the subway or on the bus, the flip phone sub-genre is as rare as a snowfall in July.

But why? Although premium-priced, flip phones are significantly cheaper than their book-style flagship siblings. Also, flip phones bring back that well-known form factor, one that evokes early 2000s nostalgia. So they should be popular, right?

As usual, though, the world takes a paradoxical turn to the side that no one would've guessed.

The latest bits of information

In the last few days, we learned that:

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 leaked renders show only one change coming this year
• Motorola Razr 70 Ultra specs just leaked, and you may be up for a major disappointment

In a nutshell, the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8 might be half a millimeter slimmer than its predecessor when folded.

I mean, come on. This is a laughable upgrade; going down from 13.7 mm down to 13.2 mm is not something you can feel right away by holding it in your hand. I'd say that a difference between 13mm and 12mm is tough to spot, let alone a difference of 0.5mm.

But that's not the end of it. The upcoming clamshell by Sammy might be the same in terms of design, camera system, battery capacity (charging speeds may remain the same, too) and even display material. The only change might be the incorporation of the Exynos 2600 chipset instead of the Exynos 2500 (that is found on the Flip 7).

The Exynos 2600 is a 2nm chip, but I doubt most people would be blown away in terms of performance or efficiency in day-to-day operations.

Motorola doesn't plan big upgrades

Essentially, the Motorola Razr 70 Ultra looks like another case of "spot the difference".

Their upcoming Ultra clamshell is expected to pack the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the same triple 50MP camera array and the same 16 GB/512 GB memory configuration we've already seen.

Aside from a modest 6% bump in battery capacity to 5,000 mAh – which still charges at the same 68W speed – there's almost nothing new here. The dimensions and weight are practically identical to the previous model, meaning the only innovation you could actually enjoy is… a fresh coat of paint. Even the displays could be the same.

But it's not just Samsung and Motorola to blame here. Not at all. Google avoids the Pixel Flip like a plague, and so do Apple, OnePlus, Sony or Nothing.

Are book-style foldables being deliberately pampered?

I'd say yes… and the reason for that is not hard to follow.

Book-style foldables simply offer more obvious, day-to-day value. They unfold into a tablet-like screen that makes multitasking, reading, editing documents and even light laptop-style work far more practical.

More people move away from traditional PCs and rely on a single device for both work and entertainment and that extra screen real estate becomes a real advantage rather than a gimmick.

They also feel newer. While clamshell designs tap into nostalgia, book-style foldables represent something genuinely different in how a phone can be used. That sense of novelty matters. We all want that cutting-edge technology, whatever it may be.

Another key factor is strategic pressure. With Apple widely expected to enter the foldable space with a book-style device, rivals like Samsung Electronics and Motorola are naturally aligning their priorities toward that format. Hence, the flips get left behind.

There is also the matter of margins and perception. Book-style foldables carry higher price tags and are easier to position as true flagship devices, while flips, despite being stylish and compact, are often viewed as secondary or lifestyle-oriented products.

Flips got flipped off

You can be the greatest multitasker in the world, but even you'd have a limit to the things you can juggle at the same time.

And when you've got to juggle soaring RAM chip prices, fierce camera competition and the fact that Apple will release a book-style foldable, it's only natural that you'd prioritize book-style foldables, not clamshells. But it's sad. Flips are mighty cool.

It seems that 2026 is not the best year for flip phones. Who knows, maybe we'll get tired of book-style handsets in the near future and we'll witness the Flip. I'm a bit skeptical about this one, but one can dream. Hopes are free… for now.