The Tech giant Samsung recently showed off a prototype of Foldable Phone at IFA 2018. Its explicitly named “foldable OLED smartphones” as one of its key products for the next financial year. From the Galaxy Note Edge up to Galaxy S9 and beyond, Samsung appears to be leading the charge. However, the company has been sharing concepts of foldable and roll-able smartphones for a few years now. A flurry of patent applications and rumors suggest the first models May come very soon.
Samsung intends to make fully functional smartphones with flexible displays. The flexible display will allow you to fold the phone and keep it in your pocket. The product was originally codenamed” Samsung Galaxy X” but that name is likely to change.
Specifications
General
| Brand | Samsung | |
| Model | Galaxy X | |
| Operating System | Android v7.0 (Nougat) | |
| SIM Slot(s) | Single SIM, GSM | |
| Network | 4G: Available (supports Indian bands) 3G: Available, 2G: Available |
Display
| Screen Size | 5.0 inches (12.7 cm) | |
| Screen Resolution | Full HD (1080 x 1920 pixels) | |
| Pixel Density | 441 ppi | |
| Display Type | OLED | |
| Touch Screen | Capacitive Touchscreen, Multi-touch |
Performance
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 MSM8998 | |
| Processor | Quad core (2.4 GHz, Dual core, Kryo + 2 GHz, Dual core, Kryo) | |
| Architecture | 64 bit | |
| Graphics | Adreno 540 | |
| RAM | 6 GB |
Storage
| Internal Memory | 128 GB |
Camera
| MAIN CAMERA | ||
| Resolution | 18 MP Primary Camera | |
| Autofocus | ||
| Flash | LED Flash | |
| Image Resolution | 4616 x 3464 Pixels | |
| Settings | Exposure compensation, ISO control | |
| Shooting Modes | Continuos Shooting, High Dynamic Range mode (HDR) | |
| Camera Features | Digital Zoom, Auto Flash, Face detection, Touch to focus | |
| FRONT CAMERA | ||
| Resolution | 8 MP Front Camera | |
Battery
| Capacity | 4000 mAh | |
| Type | Li-Polymer | |
| User Replaceable | No |
Network & Connectivity
| Network Support | 4G (supports Indian bands), 3G, 2G | |
| SIM 1 | 4G Bands:
TD-LTE 2300(band 40) 3G Bands: UMTS 1900 / 2100 / 850 / 900 MHz 2G Bands: GSM 1800 / 1900 / 850 / 900 MHz GPRS: Available EDGE: Available |
|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 802.11, b/g/n | |
| Wi-Fi Features | Mobile Hotspot | |
| Bluetooth | v4.2 | |
| GPS | with A-GPS | |
| NFC | ||
| USB Connectivity | microUSB 2.0 |
Multimedia
| Loudspeaker | ||
| Audio Jack | 3.5 mm |
Special Features
| Other Sensors | Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer |
This is whatever we know so far, there could be changes in specifications.
Release Date of Galaxy X
According to rumors, we could be catching our first glimpse of the device at Mobile World Congress 2019. Samsung products appear in stores around a month after they launch on stage. In earlier reports DJ Koh indicated the phone isn’t a one-time thing and might emerge as a series. Getting your hands on the first batch of Galaxy X handsets is likely to be difficult. Samsung will want to test the market’s appetite for foldable phones before it commits to mass manufacture.
How does the Foldable Phone work?
You might not realize that Samsung has been quietly preparing us for this future for the past several years. Samsung released a concept video that showed a flexible AMOLED phone, back in 2011. In its fully open and extended state, the Galaxy X phone could look pretty like a typical Samsung flagship phone. It has one large touchscreen on the front, cameras on both sides, and perhaps a home button below the display. Surprisingly, the phone can fold right in half, fully covering the screen and making the phone about half its normal size.
On the outer edge of the hinge is a charging contact. Unfortunately, the phone cannot be used while charging, much like wearable devices, since the contact is hidden while the phone is fully open.
It creates a little pocket for the touch display to fold up without ever creasing. That small valley allows the phone to fold flat while allowing enough space for the screen have a slightly curve, preventing unsightly seams from appearing. When you unfold the phone, the screen becomes fully taut, making it a properly useable smartphone.
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Pricing
It’s safe to assume that Samsung will charge hefty premium for this device, especially if it’s first to market. Kim Jang-yeol, head of research at Golden Bridge Investment, says the phone could reportedly cost as much as two million won at release. In the U.S., that converts to about $1,850. It will almost certainly be a prestige smartphone sold in limited numbers.
Samsung isn’t the only one trying to get this tech working. Huawei, LG as well as Lenovo as working on flexible OLEDs as well.
Expectations with Foldable Phone
The users have been expecting the Galaxy X announcement for quite sometime now. And it’s disappointing to know that it hasn’t arrived yet. However, Samsung’s mobile president Koh told reporters in September 2017 that they aimed to release phone with bendable screen in 2018. According to the Korea Herald, Samsung may make up to 100,000 phones in a limited run, to test the technology and see how well it goes over with customers, before moving on to full-scale production.
According to rumors the phone could have a 4K-resolution display. That seems over ambitious as it would drain a lot of battery. It would be really exciting if the phone happens to have a 4K display. Galaxy S9 comes with 2K display, which seems more reasonable.
More about Design
According to South Korean news site The Bell, the final design for the Galaxy X foldable smartphone was tentatively confirmed in May. One version of the roll-able phone features a small touchscreen on the cylinder, with a dialer app and quick access to various apps, while the full touch display rolls out from the tube. However, the newer version shown above appears to be for tablet or television use and doesn’t seem to have app functionality on the tube itself.
Galaxy X will feature three 3.5-inch OLED panels. Two that form a massive 7-inch screen when unfolded, and one on the rear of the device that allows for the phone to be used when folded.
The hidden display is where you will see information like texts or notifications, whether you’re in portrait or landscape mode. That way you’ll be able to see important alerts without having to unfold the phone each time. Additionally, the patent also states the touchscreen will be compatible with an S pen.
All we can do right now is wait for the event in which Samsung unveils this amazing phone.
