This time, I show you this cool flip phone, CAT S22 Flip.

Spec

• Vendor: Bullitt Mobile Ltd.
• Qualcomm 215
• RAM: 2GB
• Storage: 16GB eMMC
• Disply: 640x480 IPS (60Hz)
• OS: Android 11 R
• Camera
  • Main:5MP(GC5035)
  • Selfie:2MP(GC02M2)
• Frequency Band
  • 4G:1/2/3/4/5/7/12/13/20/25/26/28/38/39/40/41/66/71
  • 3G:1/2/4/5/8/BC0/BC1/BC10
  • GSM:850/900/1,800/1,900
    

Pros

Cool Design

I love its battery cover’s striped design, and the “chin” that reminds me of Motorola Razr. Moreover, it was designed to totally rugged yet so flat when it was flipped.
The design matches every moment with expressing its cool design. The “chin” and rounded back contribute to its hold. I think the design succeed to balancing for appearance and cleverness.

It will not shoot your finger.

Shoot the picture with your finger is a massive problem when take a picture with your flip phone. Fortunately, it placed camera on back of the display. However, it requires face to the subject straightly.

Available with Google apps

I struggled to install APK files when I used KYF31, the Android flip phone by Kyocera, but CAT S22 Flip has GMS, so I can easily install apps for this.

D-Pad and Touch Screen

Basically, dumb phone doesn’t have touch screen. Such a phone requires user to frustrate interface like control cursor with its D-Pad or scroll keypad like a trackpad.
However, this phone has touch screen same as smart phone. It is very useful when I want to select the item which cannot select with D-Pad and simply I want to use touch screen.
If you want, it supports input with touch screen by using apps like GBoard.

Good Key Feeling

I have another android flip phone from Thailand, true SMART4G 3.5 Hybrid. Its key is too hard, so very noisy and hurts my hand. However, CAT S22 Flip is not, so I can use it so comfortable.

Good FM Radio

I often listened to radio while I’m in America, so I love it. In prepare disaster terms, it is very good point.

It works better than expected.

Thanks to Android Go, and well-developed software, the system runs even on QM215 with 2GB RAM.
I often check e-mail with Outlook lite, contact with WhatsApp, and used University’s LMS, but there was no problem.
However, when I download large file and so many apps, and large files it clashed or works too slow. So, too much expect should be avoided.

Cons

11ac is not available.

Its chipset, QM215 is compatible with 11ac, but this device does not support it. It realizes comfortable network experience, and use Wi-Fi channel so efficiently, so I wanted it.

No USB OTG

Nowadays, it is so few to use USB storage, so almost people might think no USB OTG is not a con. However, the device does not have headphone jack, so when plug audio equipment like headphones, it requires convert cables. Convert cable which connects between audio circuits in the device and jack is okay, but cables that has DAC chip is not. It confuses me.
Though this phone has USB-C port, cannot connect any peripherals is not good.

Un-customizable sub display.

I think this is a massive problem. I can change wallpaper, but not change font color, so when I set light colored wallpaper, I cannot see anything.
The lack of features is also a problem. It does not show song name, FM radio frequency, notified app icon, and so on. It shows me vivid T-Mobile logo, clock and date, battery percentage, silent mode, volume, and network signal, missed call, and alarm.
Certainly, these features are convenience, but this phone has 1.4-inch color display. It is rich for flip phone’s sub display. I hope to use it effective.

It’s not 64bit device.

This is also a QM215 supports it though disabled. Nowadays, so many apps require 64bit, and Android want to abolish 32bit in general.
I tried to install GeekBench6, and use DevCheck’s benchmark, but I cannot do them because of 32bit.

Extras

No strap holes.

I wanted to use it with neck strap

I couldn’t use it with Verizon and T-Mobile MVNO.

I tried it with Total with Verizon and Simple Mobile (T-Mobile). I saw after reboot, it connects to 4G network for short while, but it disconnected. Maybe it denied by network. I contacted to this phone’s vendor, and they said, “even if they use T-Mobile towers, their activation system is different, and it doesn't support our phones.” (They = Simple Mobile)
But I can use it with Japanese network. I tried all carrier in Japan, and it works well with them.

Summary

It has so many pros like touch screen, and GMS. At the same time, cons like un-customizable sub display, and does not support 64bit. However, it works very smooth and stable. Hardware, and design are also good. I can feel passion people who worked to make this. You can buy it from $60 in eBay.
If you have interested to it, I recommend trying it.

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