Bendable display
Samsung seeks to release foldable phone next year
Samsung Electronics aims to release a foldable smartphone next year, the company said Tuesday.
“The foldable smartphone is included in the mobile unit’s 2018 annual roadmap,” Koh Dong-jin, president at Samsung Electronics’ mobile unit, said in a press conference in Seoul.
But he fell short of adding details, such as its specifications.
“We will release the next-generation handset only after overcoming a series of technological barriers,” he said.
Smartphones with a bendable display have in recent years gained traction in the global tech industry, as they are expected to offer diverse design options. Bending a handset in half also makes it easier to carry.
This comes with the rise of the organic light-emitting-diode (OLED) display as the new standard for the smartphone display industry, due to a series of competitive edges, compared to the conventional liquid crystal display (LCD). OLEDs are more flexible and weigh less. Apple is also set to release its new iPhone equipped with OLED displays.
Samsung held the press event to launch its latest flagship Galaxy Note 8 smartphone in the Korean market. Customers here pre-ordered more than 650,000 Note 8 devices for five days from Thursday, about two and a half times as many as that of its predecessor, the Note 7, during the same period, according to Samsung.
“The number of Note 8 pre-orders topped 395,000 on its first day, which surpasses our expectation by a huge margin,” he said. “The Note 8 allowed the lineup to set record pre-orders, and its demand has been very encouraging in about 40 countries.”
Samsung unveiled the 6.3-inch premium smartphone last month in New York, one year after the nightmarish recall of the Note 7 last year for its battery faults.
The Note 8 features an almost bezel-less and curved Infinity Display and a series of upgraded note-taking functions with its iconic S pen.
Starting with the launch of the flagship Galaxy S8 smartphone this April, the company said it would continue to adopt the curved edge design for its upcoming flagship models. This is part of the company’s efforts to enhance its design and brand identity as the world’s largest smartphone vendor.
The Galaxy Note 8 media event came a day before the launch of the new iPhone. Apple plans to unveil on Wednesday the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the much-anticipated iPhone X, a special model to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the mega-hit smartphone.
Koh said Samsung is walking its own path with a strong brand identity, regardless of its rivals.
“We pay little attention to event schedules set up by our competitors,” he said.