What Is A Cell Phone Flip Phone?

The flip part of a cell phone flip phone is a thin plastic hinged cover. This quickly and easily flips up for opening when you want access to your handset, and down again to close.

This opening and closing movement can also be used on most cell phone models of flip phones, to both answer a call and end it too. This phone function is known as `active flip’ and means you don’t have to press any key before speaking when you receive a call.

When it rings; just flip the phone open and you can talk, and then just close it again to end the communication (just like Captain Kirk or Mr. Spock from the original Star Trek).

One thing that confuses many folks is the difference between a cellular flip phone and a clamshell type of mobile phone. Yes, they both open and close the same way, and yes, most handsets of each type have the 'active flip' feature.

But the difference is quite simple. A flip phone only has a cover as its upper half. A clamshell phone has cellular components on both halves of the phone.

So with the flip sort of cell phone the components (keypad, battery, speaker and color display) are laid out together as in regular candy-bar cell phone style, but with a cover. With a clamshell the normal arrangement is for the keypad to be in the bottom half and the speaker and display screen on the inside of the top half. The battery can be in either section.

Which type of phone: either flip, clamshell, slider or candy-bar you like best will be up to you. Some folks fall in love with a particular style, and luckily most carriers offer at least two types in their range of prepaid cell phones.

Also see; cell phone FAQ.

Author Notes:

Matt Jacks contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.cell-phones-n-plans.com. A resource for the wireless industry featuring reviews of a variety of cell phone carriers and manufacturers and their phones and plans.