Samsung is already the leader in the foldable smartphone segment, and it is now looking to take things to the next level. The company reportedly plans to boost the production of its foldable devices and launch a double-folding smartphone this year.
Samsung’s Double-Folding Phone Is Still a Work in Progress
Nikkei reports citing sources inside Samsung that the company is secretly working on a double-folding smartphone that could be launch by the end of this year. The device is still under development, and a lot of its key aspects are yet to be finalized.
Patently Apple reports that Samsung was recently awarded a design patent for a double foldable tablet with a slide-out keyboard, which could hint at the form factor of the device.
An insider said that Samsung is looking to go with a display ratio similar to existing Android devices for app compatibility reasons. “The design is set to make the unfolded screen aspect ratio be in line with the mainstream ratio of 16:9 or 18:9, so more video games and other apps could run more smoothly with better resolutions on the device,” he said.
Since the device is still in development, its launch could be delayed by a few months to early next year due to unforeseen development issues. If not, it would be interesting to see what form factor Samsung goes with its double-folding device.
Samsung Planning to Boost Production Of Its Foldable Devices
Citing sources inside Samsung, the report also says that the Korean smartphone maker plans to launch new models of the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold devices this year.
Internally, Samsung has set a target to increase the production of its foldable devices to over 10 million units, the same level as the Galaxy Note devices. However, this will depend on consumer interest in Samsung’s foldable devices and the semiconductor shortage, which is expected to affect Samsung’s business in Q2 and Q3.
Samsung has already warned its fans not to expect a new Galaxy Note device this year due to the semiconductor shortage. It does, however, plan on launching a new Galaxy Note device in 2021, albeit with a different launch timeframe.
Foldable Phones Could Replace the Galaxy Note Series
A Samsung insider revealed that the company had decided last year itself not to launch a new Note device this year. “The suspension of the Note series was pretty much decided last year. The company wants to bet more on foldable phones that have much higher prices with distinctive designs,” he said.
Another insider also revealed that Samsung has “long struggled to differentiate its two premium phone series, the Galaxy S and Note.” The company is considering using foldable phones as a differentiator and could even replace the Note series with it.
If Samsung can reach its goal of shipping over 10 million foldable devices this year, its revenues could see a massive jump. This is because Samsung’s foldable devices are almost 1.5-2x more expensive than its regular Galaxy S and Note flagship devices.
GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu says that Samsung betting on foldable devices is a smart move. He also says that it is “very likely” that Samsung will ship 7.5 million foldable devices this year, up from 3.5 million units last year.