Jump to content

Samsung Revealed World's First Foldable Phone


horn

Recommended Posts

Just watch the first 30 seconds:

 

Samsung Galaxy X Infinity Flex Display phone: everything you need to know about the foldable smartphone
Here's how Samsung plans to convince you to pay £1,000+ for an OLED display that folds-up like a paperback

In the face of tougher competition from the likes of Huawei, Xiaomi, and OnePlus, Samsung promised to unveil something entirely new for its next flagship smartphone, dubbed the Samsung Galaxy X. And on 7 November 2018, at the Samsung Developer Conference in San Francisco, it did just that.

Taking to the stage at the conference, Justin Denison, SVP of Mobile Product Marketing, first talked through the challenges of developing a folding display before producing a prototype of the Samsung Galaxy X from his pocket to applause from the crowd.

samsung-developer-conference-9709.jpg

The phone itself doesn't have a name yet, but the display does. Samsung is calling it the Infinity Flex Display.

Recent comments by Samsung's President and CEO of IT & Mobile DJ Koh suggest the phone is going to be the first in a series of foldable handsets, so it's no exaggeration to say this is going to mark a big change in the market. Samsung also recently confirmed that it is working on foldable laptops. And its rumoured to be working on foldable tablets, too. Well, if you've cracked the engineering challenge of folding screens – and it appears that Samsung has – then you might as well put them in everything. Folding 4K TVs next?

QPwyKCyVPgFZwLFCP3PEeX-1366-80.gif

Samsung Galaxy X first look

The  Samsung Galaxy X folding phone was shown off at Samsung's Developer Conference at Moscone West in San Francisco on November 7. Although we got a look at the phone in both its unfolded and folded forms Justin Denison explained on stage "we've disguised some elements of the design but trust me, there's a device inside here and it is stunning."

"The foldable display lays the foundation for a new kind of mobile experience," added DJ Koh.

You can watch a re-run of the event below. Hint: fast forward towards the end unless you want to hear lots of developer talk about software first.

Samsung Galaxy X release date

At the November 7 unveiling, no release date was given for the new handset, but Denison did say "we'll be ready to start mass production in the coming months."

So all the release date rumours leading up to the event still seem right – the Galaxy X won't launch until 2019. Samsung previously hinted its first foldable handset might be unveiled on-stage at CES 2019 in early January, or MWC 2019 in late February, two of the biggest tech expos. But in terms of actually buying one? Immediately after CES reveal sounds extremely unlikely and after a MWC perhaps still a little optimistic. We're guessing a public release date of March/April 2018 at the earliest.

Samsung Galaxy X price

Again, Samsung declined to give a price when it showed the somewhat-disguised Galaxy X on 7 November. But one thing is for certain – this is going to be a very expensive gadget. Considering this is the first foldable handset from Samsung, it isn't likely to be cheap.

The current rumoured cost is a cool £1,365 or $1,775 – that's the current exchange rate for 2 million won, which is the mooted Korean price. Given the maxed-out Galaxy Note 9 already costs £1,099 ($1,249.99) – and that only has one screen – the upcoming folding smartphone will likely carry a hefty price tag.

Californian technology firm Royole recently launched a folding phone, which has a single OLED screen – not the two coming to the Galaxy X, and that still topped £999 ($1,300).

So if you want the coolest smartphone of 2019, you'd better start saving for it.

https://www.t3.com/news/samsung-galaxy-x-release-date-price

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a developer reveal i.e. not meant for consumer.

The one he had showcased is a prototype.

Mass production of the final product will start soon.

The final product will probably debut on MWC 2019 (aka consumer reveal) in late February.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

We all are gonna have something like this in a couple of years. I certainly want it but we’ll have to wait until it’s more developed. Let’s see what Apple will come up with. They still have a minor advantage when it comes to design aspects. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Lolo said:

We all are gonna have something like this in a couple of years. I certainly want it but we’ll have to wait until it’s more developed. Let’s see what Apple will come up with. They still have a minor advantage when it comes to design aspects. 

crApple to release its own and called it "innovative" with a price tag $2099.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a breakthrough for mobile phone manufacturer to shift from Candy bar to foldable screen.

Of course people will feel that it's unnecessary but when crApple release one, they will praise like it's the best thing in the world. :rolleyes: 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, horn said:

It's a breakthrough for mobile phone manufacturer to shift from Candy bar to foldable screen.

Of course people will feel that it's unnecessary but when crApple release one, they will praise like it's the best thing in the world. :rolleyes: 

Duh. Samsung is for weirdos 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Future feat Quavo
9 hours ago, horn said:

Obviously u didn't see the video and only look at the fake pic youtube had picked as preview thumb.

I have seen the video and the specs aren't in the thumbnail anyway so I'm not sure how you got that :sassy:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, letemmove said:

I have seen the video and the specs aren't in the thumbnail anyway so I'm not sure how you got that :sassy:

This is the preview pic that youtube had chosen for the video:

6jayBq4.jpg

I have no idea where that pic came from.

That's not Samsung. That's another brand that folds outward and looks very ugly at the hinge.

Samsung fold folds inward.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Huawei Mate X cost $2600 and folds outward.

Samsung Fold cost $1980 and folds inward.

Huawei has only 1 screen and folds into 2 i.e. front & back, and looks like a normal candy bar phone.

Whereas Samsung Fold has 2 separate screens (1 tablet + 1 phone).

Huawei has no notches when it's in tablet mode (but no camera unless it's hidden which I cannot spot) as compare to Samsung Fold has a notch for camera.

There's a few issue with Huawei Mate X found in the video:

- Bubble formed at the hinge when folding
- There's a visible line in the middle of the tablet
- Easily scratch when folded since both sides are the screens as compare to Samsung Fold.

Samsung can fold at least 200,000 times (e.g. 100 times per day x 5 years) without any problem. There's no info on how many times Huawei phone can fold so far.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...