Samsung is hoping to ship its first smartphone with the foldable Infinity Flex display as soon as March 2019, according to a new report
Korea’s Yohap news agency, which has had the scoop on Samsung stories in the past, believes the so-called ‘Galaxy X’ will be unveiled shortly after the Galaxy S10. While the traditional flagship will arrive in February, the report says the 5G version and the foldable phone will become available the following month.
Samsung Electronics CEO DJ Koh had previously confirmed the firm’s first foldable will have a consumer launch in the first half of 2019, with the first shipment in the 1 million range. The company said that the Infinity Flex display would be ready for mass production within months, raising hopes for a launch sooner rather than later.
While most of us left the Samsung developers conference keynote more excited by the advent of foldable smartphones, there was also a tinge of disappointment.
After hinting at a launch all year, and showing off prototypes for much longer, it was hoped SDC might see the arrival of a consumer-ready device. However, the company stopped at showcasing another prototype, without allowing the tech press to go hands-on with the device.
However, it does appear the final device will closely resemble what was shown off at SDC. It’ll have a 4.6-inch outer display, which will open like a book to reveal a 7.3-inch screen. Any apps currently open will expand into the full-screen view, while it’ll also be possible to work with three apps at a time.
Samsung says: “Users now have the best of both worlds: a compact smartphone that unfolds to reveal a larger immersive display for multitasking and viewing content. The app experience seamlessly transitions from the smaller display to the larger display as the device unfolds. In addition, users can browse, watch, connect and multitask without losing a beat, simultaneously using three active apps on the larger display.”
Google is also on board, and will help Android app developers optimise their applications for the new foldable categories.
