The flip phone’s model number is SM-G9298, but it appears to be referred to as the, “Leader 8.” The Leader 8 looks exactly like what we were expecting, meaning that there’s two 4.2-inch Super AMOLED displays (one on the inside and one outside), a 12MP camera on the back with an f/1.7 aperture, a fingerprint scanner below that, and a physical number pad once you flip open the device.
Powering the Leader 8 is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of expandable storage is available for housing all of your apps, games, pictures, etc. A 2,300 mAh battery is present to keep you powered through the day, and as a nice bonus, the Leader 8 even supports wireless charging.
Samsung crafted its new flip phone out of of aluminum alloy, and while you won’t find any Bixby features on the device, there is S Voice and Samsung Pay for both NFC and MST payments.
There’s currently no word from Samsung as to how much the Leader 8 will cost or when it will be available, but don’t expect it to be released anywhere in Western markets. The Leader 8 has been confirmed for a release in China, but if it does expand elsewhere, it will likely only be in parts of Asia.
The Leader 8 is certainly an interesting breed, and the more I read and learn about the phone, the more interested I become in it. The flip phone form factor is a refreshing twist among the sea of flat metal and glass slabs, and to be perfectly honest, I might pick up a Leader 8 should Samsung ever bring it to the US.
Alas, that’s wishful thinking. For the time being, I’ll keep using my non-flip Pixel like a chump.