Samsung expected to launch its first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy X, in 2018

Samsung Galaxy X is a real device, of that we're pretty sure. The main question is when exactly the South Korean giant will bring its first foldable smartphone on the market. Samsung was one of the first companies to launch a smartphone with a curved display, along with LG, but the Galaxy Round was only available in select countries.

But Samsung will not the be the only company to launch a foldable smartphone, as many other brands are working on such devices, including Apple and LG. However, Samsung fans will probably be the first to get their hands on a foldable smartphone.

Samsung's president Ko Dong-jin said in September that his company plans to launch a foldable smartphone in 2018. Sources in the display industry say that Samsung Display has already managed to develop a foldable panel with a curvature of 1.0R, which means that it can be completely folded inward like a paper.

So far, the dominant opinion is that Samsung will use plastic materials for the manufacture of the foldable display. Although the South Korean handset maker applied in the past for a number of technology patents related to foldable smartphones, it will be interesting to see how many of these more or less unique technologies will be applied to the Galaxy X.

Another reason Samsung wishes to launch the Galaxy X next year is to prevent LG from helping Apple releasing world's first foldable smartphone. Apple recently filed a patent for a foldable iPhone in the United States, and LG Display will be the company to supply the foldable panels for this device.

Currently, LG Display plans to have its first foldable panel with a curvature of 2.5R in 2018, while a foldable panel with a curvature of 1.0R is expected to be ready by 2019. South Korean media reports source in the display industry expect a foldable smartphone to be commercialized in the next couple of years.