Here's the unique flip phone that could have Samsung worried

After what seems like weeks of leaks, Tecno has finally, officially unveiled its latest folding phone – the Tecno Phantom V Flip 5G.

Launched during a dedicated event in Singapore, the company's first flip phone is slim, sleek and has a unique circular cover screen to make it stand out from the crowd.

It likely needs it too, as it will take on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Motorola Razr 40 Ultra in the coming weeks. That being said, while pricing and availability are yet to be announced, other devices from the brand have dramatically undercut rivals, so you could find that the Phantom V Flip is a very appealing alternative – especially for its spec.

Coming in two colours – Mystic Dawn and Iconic Black – the device runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 8050 chipset and 8GB of RAM. There's 256GB of storage on board and a 4,000mAh battery that's capable of 45W fast charging. The phone can be charged to 50% in just 15 minutes, while the entire battery can be refilled in just 45 minutes in total.

The outer display is nicknamed "The Planet" and measures 1.32-inches. It uses an AMOLED panel and has a pixel density of 352ppi.

It gives you access to a whole range of interactive apps and features, including customisable wallpapers and 3D virtual pets. You can also use it to play music, access the camera, or reply to messages.

There are widgets too, that can give you the latest weather or set a timer, for example.

Around the edge of the display is an "Asteroid Belt-Shaped" camera module. This houses two cameras – a 64-megapixel main cam, which Tecno claims is the highest resolution on any flip phone to date, and a 13-megapixel ultrawide.

When opened, the handset sports a 6.9-inch Full HD+ (2640 x 1080) display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a hole-punch camera capable of 32-megapixel selfie shooting.

The design of the Tecno Phantom V Flip has been inspired by luxury fashion and "top-of-the-range" vehicles. This includes a premium, lychee-pattern classic leather effect on the casing.

There will also be a unique protective case released for the phone soon, which contains fragrant microcapsules in the leather that will release gradually, giving around a year of scent. Customers will be able to choose between Rose, Sea Shore, and Cologne aromas.

The Tecno Phantom V Flip 5G will ship with Android 13 and Tecno's own HiOS 13.5 platform on top. This enables the circular widgets for the front screen.

It'll be released in India first, with an early bird price of 49,999 rupees (approximately $598). Considering the Galaxy Z Flip 5 starts at $999, that's more than enough of a price gap to have Samsung looking over its shoulder.

A wider rollout is yet to be announced. We'll update as soon as we have more details.