Samsung's foldable display smartphone could launch in March for over $1700

Posted:
in General Discussion edited November 2018
Samsung's first smartphone using the South Korean giant's recently-demonstrated foldable display could be introduced in March, a report claims, launching alongside 5G-equipped Galaxy S10, the 2019 refresh of Samsung's flagship smartphone.

Samsung's Infinity Flex Display prototype
Samsung's Infinity Flex Display prototype


First shown onstage at the Samsung Developer Conference on Wednesday, the Infinity Flex Display prototype showed a smartphone with a 7.3-inch display that could be folded in half lengthwise, with a smaller display on the outside. At the time, it was not advised when to expect the first device to use the display technology to go on sale, though Samsung could start its mass production "in a matter of months."

According to industry sources of the Yonhap News Agency, Samsung is intending to unveil the Galaxy S10 in February. The foldable smartphone, thought to be called the "Galaxy F," is tipped to launch one month later in March, as well as another edition of the Galaxy S10 with 5G support.

There is likely to be relatively limited quantities of the foldable phone available, with Samsung Electronics President Koh Dong-jin advising last week that the shipment volume for the device will be at least 1 million units when it ships in the first half of 2019. Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but industry watchers suggest it could sell for around 2 million won ($1,770), a price that will further limit its sales.

At the time of its unveiling, Samsung launched a new user interface that could transition between the larger foldable display and the smaller external version, on folding or opening up the device. Up to three applications can also run on the larger display simultaneously, though it is unclear how this would translate to the smaller, more conventional screen once the smartphone is closed.

Samsung won't be the first to the market with a foldable smartphone, as the Royole Flexpai was offered for preorder in China on November 1, with deliveries to customers anticipated to start in December.

Apple has been rumored to be looking into creating its own foldable device range, with claims it is working with LG on producing a display for the conceptual iPhone. Analysts have tipped for a launch of an iPhone with a foldable display to happen as soon as 2020.

Details of Apple's potential plans have surfaced in numerous patents and applications for folding displays and devices, including hinged handsets, wrap-around displays, stretchy substrates for use in flexible hardware, and force gesture controls.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 44
    Well, it will be interesting to see a sudden retreat from jokes about older people having flip phones, because this is what this is.
    mwhitedoozydozen
  • Reply 2 of 44
    thrangthrang Posts: 1,007member
    Is this needed? And I suppose it’s a prototype, but it looks as thick as a waffle
    peterhartdoozydozenStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 44
    genovellegenovelle Posts: 1,480member
    Is it just me or does this thing look terrible. A prototype 3 years away from production I could see but not something that close to production. The idea that they kept the stage dark to limit competitors from seeing too much of the design early is nuts. Apple for one hasn’t made a device that thick since Newton. Lol

    racerhomie3StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 44
    This is what Samsung does. They throw up stuff nowhere near ready for prime time to get the publicity of "beating Apple.". Of course the product is an overpriced bomb because unlike Apple they don't develop it until it's really ready. 
    redgeminiparacerhomie3mwhitestanthemanwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 44
    jkichlinejkichline Posts: 1,369member
    Dumb. It will flop, especially at that price. It's only about an inch larger than Apple's iPhone XS Max. How is this an improvement if you need to open it up to get a subpar tablet experience that Google can't even get off the ground with developers already?
    racerhomie3watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 44
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    This is what Samsung does. They throw up stuff nowhere near ready for prime time to get the publicity of "beating Apple.". Of course the product is an overpriced bomb because unlike Apple they don't develop it until it's really ready. 


    Ultimately the important this for Samsung is that they get to charge Apple $$$$ as a supplier of the screens like they do with the OLED displays used in iPhoneXS and XSMax (when Apple implements their version a few years down the road)..


  • Reply 7 of 44
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    This is the worst looking CE I've seen in a very long time.

    I can't wait for the bad comparisons to begin for the Samsung fanatics to justify the $1700 cost.
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 44
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    mike54 said:
    Early days for folding phones. The first rocket failed, yet later it took men to the moon, and there are thousands more examples. Strange that followers of tech have their minds closed to the possibilities, and think that this is the final product of a folding phone that will be ever be made and that no improvements are possible, forever.

    Is it needed someone asked. The way tech blogs and the vocal users of smartphones have been pushing for larger and larger phones, I'll say it's needed, as it could be the only way to get a smaller phone.
    Technology progressing doesn't mean that your first device has to look like shit. The original iPhone was the first modern smartphone OS with a multitouch capacitance display and yet it's still a classic design that people love. For me, it still feels better than any other iPhone I've ever held. 
    racerhomie3mwhitedoozydozenStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 44
    mike54 said:
    Early days for folding phones. The first rocket failed, yet later it took men to the moon, and there are thousands more examples. Strange that followers of tech have their minds closed to the possibilities, and think that this is the final product of a folding phone that will be ever be made and that no improvements are possible, forever.

    Is it needed someone asked. The way tech blogs and the vocal users of smartphones have been pushing for larger and larger phones, I'll say it's needed, as it could be the only way to get a smaller phone.
    There's a long history of making fun of early flops.  What's wrong with that?



    razorpitStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 44
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    We know 2020 is a year for 5G inclusion in phones but there will be couple like Samsung who will put 5G for namesake even you can not use in places you live until earliest 2020/21..
    redgeminipawatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 44
    Just because you can doesn't always mean you should...

    I always had a bit of a soft spot for the Microsoft Courier concept. I think 2 standard (glass) screens with a touch sensitive strip over the hinge area would work fine, allowing you to drag stuff from one screen to the other. It could also offer fixed touch sensitive buttons for cut/paste/home etc...

    I'm assuming that this screen would have to be a soft plastic thing and just can't imagine it being as good to touch as glass (though it would be a lot less likely to break when dropped I suppose). 

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 44
    They’ll sell a few of them, but it won’t be something that lights the market on fire, as usual for Sammy. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 44
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,624member
    Soli said:
    mike54 said:
    Early days for folding phones. The first rocket failed, yet later it took men to the moon, and there are thousands more examples. Strange that followers of tech have their minds closed to the possibilities, and think that this is the final product of a folding phone that will be ever be made and that no improvements are possible, forever.

    Is it needed someone asked. The way tech blogs and the vocal users of smartphones have been pushing for larger and larger phones, I'll say it's needed, as it could be the only way to get a smaller phone.
    Technology progressing doesn't mean that your first device has to look like shit. The original iPhone was the first modern smartphone OS with a multitouch capacitance display and yet it's still a classic design that people love. For me, it still feels better than any other iPhone I've ever held. 
    Mike54 is right IMO.

    As for looking like shit, I was under the impression that the presentation device was inside a case so that only the screens were visible. This is what I've read on some Spanish sites.

    I'll admit I'm not a fan of some of Samsung's rear panel smartphone designs but from the from the front the flagship devices of the last few years have looked gorgeous. I understand this is all subjective, though.

    Independently of aesthetics, I find $1,700 difficult to 'sell' to prospective buyers if the initial run is hoping to produce 1,000,000 units. 

    Without doubt there will be people willing to shell out that price, I just find it hard to imagine there are a million or more of them, especially as it isn't only a question of price. Durability is going to be the other big question.




  • Reply 14 of 44
    badmonkbadmonk Posts: 1,285member
    The name “Galaxy F” is a fail.
    StrangeDaysravnorodomwatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 44
    M68000M68000 Posts: 719member
    If this style of phone becomes mainstream,  it could be bad news for case manufacturers ?   The whole idea seems a bit gimmicky. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 44
    Cool tech, but doesn’t look ready for prime time. Sure it folds...but it looks thick as a brick folded. And at $1,700... Until they can slim it down, it’ll just be an expensive, impractical novelty. 
    edited November 2018 ravnorodomwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 44
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    Cue the articles on the Sammy tax. Oh nevermind. I don't get this idea of a foldable screen for phones. Talk about niche market. 
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 44
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    I think this particular Samsung department will fold.
    SolidoozydozenStrangeDaysavon b7watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 44
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    MacPro said:
    I think this particular Samsung department will fold.
    🤣 Nice!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 44
    Moronic.
    watto_cobra
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