Samsung's new Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro jazzes up the foldable with early 2000s nostalgia

(Image credit: Samsung)

Those old enough to remember 2003 will get a kick out of Samsung's latest limited edition handset, which takes design inspiration from one of the South Korean company's most important releases, the SGH-E700.

Notable for being the electronics giant's first handset with a built-in antenna, the groundbreaking (and incredibly popular) SGH-E700 flip phone paved the way for Samsung becoming the smartphone powerhouse it is today.

Cut to 2023, the flip phone is back in fashion, which makes now the perfect time for Samsung to unveil the nostalgia-fueled Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro — a phone which celebrates Samsung's mobile phone legacy while showcasing modern foldable advancements.

Samsung SGH-E700 — Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro draws inspiration from the company's own SGH-E700 from 2003. (Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro: Exclusive features

First teased last week, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro sports the same indigo blue and silver colorway that adorned the SGH-E700, and is said to provide "a UX design reinterpretation of 2000s pixel graphics and an exclusive animation on the Flex Window that portrays a cityscape with a touch of nostalgia," according to Samsung.

Additionally, those who purchase the Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro will also receive "three Flipsuit cards featuring logos from different eras of Samsung's history, a Flipsuit case and a collector card engraved with a unique serial number that will add to the product's collectible value for purchasing customers."

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro: Pricing and availability

Available exclusively from Samsung's official website, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 Retro will release in limited quantities on November 1 in the UK and Australia, along with Korea, Germany and Spain, and on November 2 in France. Unfortunately, a US release has yet to be announced.

As for how much the limited edition retro package will cost, Samsung has only announced Australian details so far, with pricing set at AU$1,949 (around $1,240 / £1,022). Storage capacity hasn't been announced, either, though it's worth noting that its price is exactly AU$100 more than the standard 512GB variant in Australia.

Not interested in retro styling? Below you'll find the best current Galaxy Z Flip 5 prices below.

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Stephen Lambrechts is the Managing Editor of Tom's Guide AU and has written professionally across the categories of tech, film, television and gaming for the last 15 years. Before Tom's Guide, he spent several years as a Senior Journalist at TechRadar, had a brief stint as Editor in Chief at Official Xbox Magazine Australia, and has written for such publications as APC, TechLife Australia, T3, FilmInk, AskMen, Daily Telegraph and IGN. He's an expert when it comes to smartphones, TVs, gaming and streaming. In his spare time, he enjoys watching obscure horror movies on physical media, keeping an eye on the latest retro sneaker releases and listening to vinyl. Occasionally, he also indulges in other non-hipster stuff, like hiking.