(UPDATED) If you thought that TECNO made an impressive feat with the Phantom V Flip as the most affordable flip phone at Php 30k (Php 23k for the lucky ones), Japan has the absolute most affordable flip phone with the ZTE Libero Flip.
At 63,000 Yen or around Php 23.5k, the Libero Flip is more affordable than the Phantom V Flip, and its pre-order promo is ridiculously low at 39800 Yen or around Php 15k.
Like the Phantom V Flip, the Libero Flip is positioned as a mid-range offering, which explains its affordable price tag. It uses a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor that’s paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage, which is the bare minimum as far as RAM/storage configurations go by.
Despite looking similar with the Phantom V Flip on the outside, the Libero Flip as a more subtle camera setup: 50-megapixel main camera and a filler 2-megapixel sensor. The two cameras and LED flash surround a 1.43-inch cover display.
The foldable inner display is a familiar 6.9-inch 120hz OLED panel that has a punch-hole for a 16-megapixel selfie shooter. You do get a relatively large 4310mAh battery with support for 33w charging, along with an IP42 rating.
Before you get too excited about the ZTE Libero Flip, do note that this phone is most likely exclusive to the Japanese market, so don’t expect it to make its way into the Philippines even if ZTE has an official presence in the country.
However, ZTE will be unveiling their own flip phone at MWC 2024 called the nubia Flip 5G. It does look similar to the Japan-only Libero 5G, so ZTE’s affordable flip phone might get a global release after all.