I was impartial to Samsung’s recent Unpacked event.
It wasn’t due to lack of excitement or any kind of ill-will toward the brand. Much the opposite in fact; I haven’t loved Samsung as much as I do currently. I’d say, I think it’s probably because I’m doing too much. I explain to friends that some of my days at present feel like a blur, which isn’t a bad thing! But I guess I can lose perspective of it all.
Moments though…I believe I have a better rein on those perhaps, and Samsung; Samsung really had to do it to ’em today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx9ibZLwVNE
Yeah, the Z Flip was announced and it is pretty cool.
If you don’t know what the Z Flip is, it’s the new flip-phone model produced by Samsung, except it’s a smartphone. So it folds, because we love a big screen (6.7″ of it in-fact). But it’s not THE Fold. The Fold is a different phone. They also confirmed it has an external display when closed, because we also love a notification.
Exciting as it was, I still can’t get past my meaty, screeny bois which are our current range of Galaxy S model phones. There’s just something about this non-flexing piece of all-in-one hardware for our daily lives which I just can’t let go of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0Kv_QRWR-I
So the S20 Ultra shows up.
Okay, yeah. It appears the S10 range was a named-reset for the Galaxy S range, and it’s why we now have the S20, so let’s just get it out of the road. Spec-wise, the baseline and Plus models do their thing. 6.2″ and 6.7″ screens respectively, with both running QuadHD+ AMOLED displays and the INSANE 120hz refresh rate. 10MP front-facing cameras, and similar rear cameras, with the Plus chucking a DepthVision Camera in cause it’s the Plus. All nice stuff.
ULTRA INSTINCT THEME INTENSIFIES.
It felt like I’d heard the classic theme kick-in as I read over the specs of this mans. 6.2″ or 6.7″ screen? F*ck it, it’s 6.9″ now. 10MP front-facing camera? Forget about it, it’s 40MP. 12MP wide-angle rear cameras? Hahaha, are you even trying? 108MP wide-angle camera on the Ultra, thank you. Space Zoom which utilises a hybrid optic zoom to shoot up to 30x? You’re not even in the same GALAXY as the Ultra, we’re going to 100x. 4000 or 4500 mAh batteries? We don’t need that here, it’s 5000 or bust. 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM? Why did you decide to come to work today, it’s 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM. And internal storage? We’re going full-noise with a max internal storage size of 512GB that can be expanded (suffice to say though, the Plus shares this same amount).
The Ultra is literally Ultra Instinct Goku.
I’ll admit for the longest time I was the consumer who did the annual phone update. Good lord, am I part of the capitalist issue? ANYWAY! I’d managed to work myself into the 24 month cycle and thought I’d be safe from whatever the next S model would be. I was wrong. The Ultra is a phone that seems like it’s still 12 months away from being delivered, but it’s here now. Samsung’s adaptation to market and groundwork to clear out their low-end models has been astounding. A willingness to fail, and confidence to deliver something batsh*t is making what they do entirely admirable to someone like me.
And this is ultimately where the Ultra falls for me; Into a category of full admiration and astonishment. Taking on some branding posited to market by a certain competitor, and positioning their OWN branding as something more impactful with a release which backs this up, the Ultra is ready to take on more of the premium market Samsung wants and deserves.
I have not frothed this hard for a phone in some time, and I can’t believe Samsung would do that to me before Valentine’s Day.
You saucy, saucy minxes.
Pre-Order now available at Samsung New Zealand and Vodafone.
