Foldable phones are all the rage right now. Here are the companies that are making them, rumored to make them or already selling them.
The foldable phone trend is undeniably on the rise, with everyone from big-name Samsung to unknown startup Royole ready to inject a much-needed jolt into the industry by innovating foldable phones with flexible, bendy displays.
With one foldable phone already available to buy and a couple of others expected this year, it looks to be that a foldable phone that can open up like a tablet and still fit into your pocket isn’t a far-off concept any longer. And Google’s committed to providing Android support for foldable designs, so we can expect even more phone companies to get involved with the trend.
It’s starting to get confusing which companies have announced plans, filed a patent or are simply rumored to jump on the foldable bandwagon. Here’s our who’s-who guide to foldable phones.
Developed by a startup headquartered in Fremont, California, the Royole Flexpai phone debuted last October. The phone has a plastic, 7.8-inch AMOLED screen and it’s already on sale. You’ll pay $1,318 (£1,209) for the 6GB of RAM and 128GB variant. And it’s $1,469 (£1,349) for the 8GB of RAM and 256GB version. (Australian prices weren’t released, but they convert to about AU$2,180 and AU$2,440, respectively.)
The FlexPai closes like a book, with its screen on the outside. It runs an OS called Water that’s layered on top of Google Android 9.0. Whichever way you choose to hold or bend the device, the screen adjusts to its many different orientations and viewing options. Though rough around the edges when we got our hands on it, the FlexPai gives us a solid glimpse of what the future of foldable phones may hold.
Samsung’s the biggest tech company to throw its hat into the ring, so many are eager to see what it has in store.
