This Pokemon-themed Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is going to disappoint Pokemon fans

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
(Image credit: Future)

There are two types of people: those who like their Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 in its fashionable traditional Thom Browne Edition, and those who prefer the newly-unveiled vibrant Pokemon variant.

This version of Samsung's clamshell foldable phone has just been unveiled by Samsung in Korea, and you can see it on the brand's website here. Or, you can just scroll down.

The website contains a countdown, presumably to when the device goes on sale, though we don't know if it'll be a global launch or just a Korean one right now.

We also don't have a price for how much the bundle costs, but knowing Samsung's limited-edition versions of its premium products, this won't come cheap.

The bundle includes the phone as well as a collection of accessories that are, as you can probably imagine, themed around the popular video game franchise. But if you're a huge fan of the 'Mon, you might find this bundle a little underwhelming.


Analysis: Pika-choose a different version

Pokemon fans, disengage: it seems that this version of the Galaxy Z Flip isn't actually themed around Pokemon itself.

We're talking about the smartphone itself - sure, it'll come with loads of stickers and extras, but we don't believe that the handset itself will have any insignia on it. That's because Samsung isn't showing the phone itself (in the image it's clad in a case) - if the mobile had a Pikachu on it, or even a Pokeball, we'd be seeing it.

You might argue that 'Samsung won't print icons onto a smartphone itself' and while that would contradict the long history of pop-culture smartphone tie-ins, it's also not in line with Samsung's own Galaxy Z Flip 3 editions.

The Thom Browne edition of the device had a patterned design, and the Bespoke Edition models of the handset let you choose the colors yourself - so you literally order the phone with custom prints on it.

With that in mind, you'd think Samsung could easily slap a little Eevee on the front of the phone or something.

But no, you're seemingly getting a standard black smartphone with a few Pokemon-themed accessories - stuff you could pick up on Amazon for a minimal cost.

Hopefully, we'll be proven wrong, and the Galaxy Z Flip 3 actually has Piplup or Chespin on it - but as it stands, we're disappointed by this so-called 'Pokemon phone'.

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Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.