Samsung wants to get you excited about its foldable phone, promising global availability

by Adrian Diaconescu / Oct 11, 2018, 1:54 PM

Samsung wants to get you excited about its foldable phone, promising global availability

For as long as we can remember, Samsung has been in pole position to both formally announce and commercially release the world’s first foldable smartphone. But after more reported setbacks than we’re willing to count, as well as numerous design revisions and production delays caused by various technical challenges, everyone from Huawei to Lenovo, LG, Oppo, Xiaomi, and even Motorola is suddenly in this race.

Of course, Samsung has yet to throw in the towel or surrender its prospective market pioneering status. Instead, the latest plan calls for a (possibly vague) introduction and short public demo as early as next month, followed by an actual launch sometime next year.

Hot on the heels of today’s Galaxy A9 announcement event, Samsung Mobile President DJ Koh insisted on clarifying a few aspects of the company’s highly anticipated flexible device, proclaiming it “has to be really meaningful to our customer.”

That means it will absolutely not “disappear six or nine months after it’s delivered”, aiming to create new and compelling use cases, such as seamlessly switching from a tablet mode with advanced multitasking capability to a more portable phone.

It remains to be seen if the construction will be robust enough to withstand constant fold-in and fold-out action, but Samsung sounds pretty confident that’s ultimately going to be the case. Otherwise, Koh wouldn’t be promising global availability, contrasting with the limited run of a similarly experimental but far less risky Galaxy Round several years back.

Bottom line, the Galaxy F (unconfirmed name) will not be a “gimmick” meant to artificially draw attention to Samsung’s already rich and diverse product portfolio. Or so the company would like us to think, expecting the initial “niche market” to grow at a fast and steady pace.

source: CNet

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16 Comments

1. Kwabena

Posts: 5; Member since: Oct 09, 2018

Let's get it done Sammy

posted on Oct 11, 2018, 2:17 PM 2

2. Nionx

Posts: 208; Member since: Oct 30, 2017

I expect this thing to cost an arm, a leg, a kidney, the soul of my first... but I'm ready. Keep the headphone jack, don't submit to the notch and I will be there

posted on Oct 11, 2018, 2:22 PM 8

3. errnope

Posts: 43; Member since: May 23, 2018

There is a dilemma. You can fold it one of two ways. Either you fold it outwards so that the screen is wrapped around the front and back of the phone, or you fold it inwards so that the screen is on the inside of the phone whilst folded. If you fold it inwards this is a massive turn off. You have to unfold the phone every single time you want to use it. This is not practical. If you fold it outwards you don't have this problem. But - imagine a book - what happens when you unfold it? The spine sticks out. Not sure how they can solve this problem without having some ridiculous side bezel when not unfolded that when folded out, the screen slides into making it look ugly.

posted on Oct 11, 2018, 2:38 PM 0

9. strategic_developer

Posts: 1627; Member since: Jul 17, 2018

So you're saying flip phones were never practical.? Because you had to open then with every usage. Was it an issue then? If not, why is it an issue now?

posted on Oct 11, 2018, 3:14 PM 6

10. midan

Posts: 3112; Member since: Oct 09, 2017

No they weren't?

posted on Oct 11, 2018, 3:25 PM 0

12. TBomb

Posts: 1660; Member since: Dec 28, 2012

you gotta start thinking more creatively. Sometimes a step back is forwards - meaning having a flip phone form factor is still a step ahead. Especially since flip phones had screens on the inside and outside that were usable (LG enV series). Maybe have the bezel move with the screen to avoid that giant side bezel you are worried about. Just don't knock something till it arrives and you've experienced it. not saying you are fanboying in this post... but in general: People are so quick to trash something just because it has a logo of a company that isn't their favorite one. what did your favorite logo ever do or you that would cause such loyalty? 99% of people haven't had life altering experiences with a company so we have to stop giving them loyalty like they did. it's like people on this site would stand beside Apple, Samsung, etc. over their own parents/kids. it's crazy.

posted on Oct 11, 2018, 4:15 PM 1

4. cmdacos

Posts: 4319; Member since: Nov 01, 2016

Show me why I want to get excited Sammy. If done right, shouldnt need convincing.

posted on Oct 11, 2018, 2:49 PM 2

5. Chris_ABN

Posts: 198; Member since: May 16, 2018

Interesting. But I see no use for this phone for me. I just hope they don't put a notch on it, keep stereo speakers, and the 3.5mm headphone jack.

posted on Oct 11, 2018, 2:49 PM 0

8. Bruindog09

Posts: 3; Member since: Oct 11, 2018

I wouldn't mind paying a premium for this if it truly delivered a unique experience. In other words no compromises such as a badass screen but small battery or large screen but only supports DEX style format. Just make something truly new

posted on Oct 11, 2018, 2:53 PM 0

11. Pcworld1976

Posts: 184; Member since: Sep 18, 2018

Pollo position of the smoke

posted on Oct 11, 2018, 4:06 PM 0

14. emjoigently

Posts: 154; Member since: Aug 22, 2017

If it's a phone when I'm walking, and a tablet when it's lying on a table, then I'm interested, though I am unsure how you go about that. A side slider perhaps, but that's probably not what is on offer.

posted on Oct 11, 2018, 7:05 PM 0

15. dimas

Posts: 3415; Member since: Jul 22, 2014

If samsung will put end locks on their foldable phone, I'll make a god damn bracelet with it.

posted on Oct 11, 2018, 8:50 PM 0

16. CreeDiddy

Posts: 2274; Member since: Nov 04, 2011

Android buyers will never spend more than $1250 for this phone. Why is because Samsung line up consists of $200 phones. They will never pay $1250 because they would rather buy a microSD card rather than belly up to the next storage tier. Samsung needs to make the decision to stay high end and stop catering to every buyer just retain market share. Confuses the buyers of who they are targeting their products to and most importantly their branding. If Samsung stuck to $1000 phones and up their sales would go from 315 million sold a year to less than 125 sold million a year. That’s the truth...