Samsung is reportedly planning to unveil its foldable smartphone later this year, which is rightfully met with skepticism considering the long wait for the groundbreaking device.
Samsung has long been experimenting with bendable OLED screens, with a concept video for a foldable smartphone released in 2013. Will the Samsung foldable smartphone finally be unveiled after five years?
Samsung To Unveil Foldable Smartphone In November
Samsung recently reiterated that it wants to be the first manufacturer to roll out a foldable smartphone, especially with rivals such as Huawei also making plans for such a device. The rumor is that the Samsung foldable smartphone will be showcased at CES 2019, before the Galaxy S10.
It looks like Samsung is planning to lift the curtains on its foldable smartphone much earlier. In an interview with CNBC, DJ Koh, the CEO of Samsung's mobile division, said that details of the company's foldable smartphone will be unveiled within the year.
Koh said that "it's time to deliver" on the foldable smartphone after consumer surveys by Samsung revealed that there is interest in such a device. While Koh did not reveal how the folding screen of the smartphone will work, he said that Samsung will ensure that the device will offer a different experience when unfolded compared to using a tablet.
According to Koh, more details of the Samsung foldable smartphone may be released at the Samsung Developer Conference, which will be held in November in San Francisco. Koh said that the development process of the device has been "complicated," but Samsung has "nearly concluded" it.
Samsung Foldable Phone Launch Date Coming Soon?
Koh teased that the Samsung foldable smartphone may be unveiled in November, but he did not state that the device will actually be released this year. In fact, his statements may mean that Samsung will be revealing renders and specifications of the foldable smartphone this year, with a working unit to be shown further down the road.
If that is the case, why would Koh tease the unveiling of a device that may not be released any time soon? The obvious answer is that Samsung is trying to distract customers from the upcoming unveiling of Apple's 2018 iPhone models, which will be in an event on Sept. 12.
Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 will likely not be enough to challenge the upcoming iPhone XS and the budget LCD iPhone X. A Samsung foldable smartphone may turn more heads, but until the device is really unveiled, customers may be looking mostly at Apple's direction for their next mobile phone upgrade.
