After four years, dozens of rumors, several patents, and one profile pic change, Samsung appears to finally be on the verge of showing off its first folding Galaxy phone. And man are we ready for it.
Ahead of its annual Developer Conference on Wednesday, Samsung provided the most concrete evidence that it will be showing off its new folding phone this week. Samsung Mobile updated its Facebook and Twitter profile pics with a folding Samsung logo, which can really only mean one thing: at long last, we’re finally going to get a look at Samsung’s vision of the foldable future.
Why this matters: If you don’t know then you haven’t been paying attention since, oh, 2014. That’s when Samsung first released a concept video showing off a folding phone. And now we’re finally almost ready to maybe get a peek at what it might be. Excited?
Above the fold
The company has made no secret of its plans to create a folding smartphone, and Samsung executives have consistently teased the developers conference keynote, which starts at 10 a.m. PST, as the big day. But it’s unclear what Samsung will actually show us. Originally, rumors suggested that a full-on working prototype of the phone would be unveiled, but recent reports have suggested the demonstration will be software heavy, with a UI and features based on Android but developed in concert with Google.
According to Bloomberg, Samsung might still not ready to fully show off its folding phone, with vertical and landscape prototypes both in the running for final approval. However, both models reportedly include a 4-inch screen on the outside of the device for use when folded, so it’s likely we’ll get a good idea of what it will look like. Korean publication The Bell has also chimed in with possible specs of the new device: The main display will reportedly be 7.29 inches with the secondary “outside” display measuring 4.58 inches.
If we do get a look at Samsung’s folding phone, it will likely be one of several making their debut in 2018. LG and Huawei are already rumored to be working on their own folding models, and just last week, unknown startup Royole staked claim to “the world’s first commercial foldable smartphone with flexible display” with the FlexPai phone.
Of note, Royole’s phone folds over itself so the screen is always visible, while Samsung’s is rumored to fold under, like a book. Little is known about the 7.8-inch FlexPai phone beyond a series of slick-looking renders, but Royole is already taking preorders for the device, which is due to begin shipping in December. It doesn’t come cheap though. Royole is charging $1,318 for a 128GB model and $1,469 for 256GB.
With the Galaxy Note 9 topping $1,000, it’s all but certain that Samsung’s folding phone won’t come cheap either, and it’s been rumored that it might cost as much as $2,000, depending on the configuration. At any rate, all should be revealed on Wednesday.