Leaked Renders Allegedly Reveal Samsung's Foldable Phone Hours Ahead of Launch Event

[thasan]

How about both? Meaning a foldable phone that has a display on the outside as well. Want to use it one-handed like most current phones? Just keep it folded and use the 'outer' display. Need more screen real estate and be willing to use both hands, unfold it and you get a small tablet.

Of course this idea doesn't make an already relatively thick phone thinner (to the contrary), but we might get there sooner or later with an acceptable thickness (though the minimal thickness of the unfolded phone will at some point be limited by mechanical stability concerns and this might result in a thickness of the folded phone that is too thick for most people).

Folded one will be substantially thicker and heavier.

 

[JonGarrett]

This seems like a classic example of ability over practicality - it exists because they wanted to make one, but doesn’t seem to serve any practical or functional reason. Phones fit the hand. Want something bigger, use a tablet.

Oh well, time will tell...

Wow, just wow. Want something bigger use a tablet? And carry around two devices or not have the tablet when you want it?? How about just grab your Galaxy fold and have both.

 

[Biu_miu]

Comments are salty as hell. I can't even imagine how loved would be Apple for doing this. It's a breakthrough tech and it's just sad some of you can't accept that.

Respect for this, or any other company making something new and unique, but keep in mind, that a lot of these features are just for sake of making new features and being first to make a foldable phone, or a phone with no ports, or anything else, but not improving users experience in any way.
I'm really excited to see how this foldable phone looks in real life, but will it really add anything to my daily life? Doubt it.
Maybe in 3-4 generations, when this technology will be advanced enough (if it will not be just forgotten as other gimmicks - edged screens, for example), it will add value to everyday user.

 

[Jsameds]

Will be interesting to see the screen size and resolution of the internal display compared to an iPad Mini.

Also I'm sceptical about the material used for the inner display. There's a good reason we use glass on today's phones.

 

[rmoliv]

I don't want that and I find the concept of a foldable device ridiculous. Hope Apple do not copy it...

 

[arkitect]

Time will tell.

I have no dog in this fight, I don't need Samsung to "win", I don't need Apple to "win". Some posters here really do seem to need that in their lives.

It is interesting tech. Period.

Tech evolution also has its version of "survival of the fittest".

If Apple takes this up a year or so from now and make it work — great!
If Samsung manage to make this work — great!

Does it have a future? Let's wait and see.

But don't just dismiss things out of hand because it is not branded Apple, Inc.

 

[ROGmaster]

That speaks to Samsung’s prowess as a manufacturing titan, not necessarily their skill in designing smartphones.

Credit where credit is due. A foldable screen is undoubtedly an impressive piece of tech, but I am ultimately paying for a great end user experience, not just novel hardware in a vacuum. And Samsung has shown that while they can make excellent hardware, their software continues to be lacklustre, and it drags down the overall experience.

Let’s see what tonight’s keynote portends.

Well your argument would be somehow valid if Apple would launch their foldable phone THIS September.
But they won't so your argument in completely irrelevant.
Like a user here wrote, you definitely look like you fit the salty category.

 

[Jsameds]

Wow, just wow. Want something bigger use a tablet? And carry around two devices or not have the tablet when you want it?? How about just grab your Galaxy fold and have both.

Depends on how the Fold compares to a dedicated tablet and phone in terms of display size, resolution, feel, durability, speed, battery life, stylus support, app selection, device support for example.

 

[44267547]

I don't want that and I find the concept of a foldable device ridiculous. Hope Apple do not copy it...

How do you know Apple would ‘copy’ Samsung? What if Apple is already experimenting with something like this and we just don’t know about it yet?

That said, I just understand how can somebody judge a device without even having experience with it, there could be practical situations where a foldable device could be very convenient or if you want something larger or truncated, that’s what the unique thing about having a foldable device like this really emphasizes size options pending the situation.

 

[manu chao]

Wow, just wow. Want something bigger use a tablet? And carry around two devices or not have the tablet when you want it?? How about just grab your Galaxy fold and have both.

For the Galaxy 'Fold' to allow one-handed use, it probably needs an additional display on the outside that would be used when the device is folded up. The key question in my mind would be whether this phone will be considered too thick for comfortable carrying and use.

 

[BlueParadox]

Wow, just wow. Want something bigger use a tablet? And carry around two devices or not have the tablet when you want it?? How about just grab your Galaxy fold and have both.

I use an iPad and MacBook Pro for numerous reasons, one being the SIZE of their screens. And as I mentioned previously, the unfolded screen size for this devise seems small when compared with tablets, iPads, and notebooks - you know, screen real estate worth spending time on...

 

[ROGmaster]

How do you know Apple would ‘copy’ Samsung? What if Apple is already experimenting with something like this and we just don’t know about it yet?

Well didn't everybody after 2007 just copy the original iphone?
This is something I've been hearing for years form certain smartphone brand users.

 

[manu chao]

Folded one will be substantially thicker and heavier.

That certainly is the key question. Will it be too thick for the vast majority of people? (Besides does it work reliably.)

 

[44267547]

The key question in my mind would be whether this phone will be considered too thick for comfortable carrying and use.

Considering the weight and size of smart phones today that stainless steel and all glass designs that are almost venturing almost 7 inches, I doubt consumers would make an issue about the ‘Thickness’ about a foldable device considering the trade off with new technology like this.

 

[thasan]

Comments are salty as hell. I can't even imagine how loved would be Apple for doing this. It's a breakthrough tech and it's just sad some of you can't accept that.

Not all breakthrough techs are necessarily "exciting".

 

[Wiesenlooser]

Without pioneers there wouldn’t be a polished product. Both approaches are crucial and deserve credit. Without all the pioneering work Apple would not have been able to make the first iPhone. However Apple should also be given credit for putting all the different technologies together into a useable product.

Depends. Many times it seems like Samsung is just hastily throwing it on the market because they know apple or someone else is working on something comparable.

 

[rpe33]

I see the Samsung Defense Force is here. Anyway, I wouldn’t use this monstrosity if Sammy paid me to.

 

[44267547]

Not all breakthrough techs are necessarily "exciting".

But here’s the thing though, smart phones are generally the same every single year, are they not? It’s the same form factor, new software and a few hardware features, but is that enough anymore for consumers to want to spend that amount of money for what smart phone manufacturers are charging today? When you implement something like what Samsung is trying to execute with a foldable design, it is different, and the fact that you can enlarge and truncate the size of the device, maybe it’s something that the smart phone market needs to ‘shake things up’. We need more changes like Samsung is doing, to continue to open new avenues for tech, as it’s always an ever- changing field.

 

[thasan]

But here’s the thing though, smart phones are generally the same every single year, are they not? It’s the same form factor, new software and a few hardware features, but is that enough anymore for consumers to want to spend that amount of money for what smart phone manufacturers are charging? When you implement something like what Samsung is trying to execute with the foldable design, it is different, and the fact that you can enlarge and truncate the size of the device, it’s maybe something that the smart phone market needs to ‘shake things up’. We need more things like Samsung is doing, to continue to open new avenues for tech, as it’s always changing.

May be true. But as of now, I dont see it exciting. This is coming from someone whose primary work is scientific research on flexible electronics....

 

[beanbaguk]

Call me a skeptic, but a stressed fold is a weakness in any application and I just see broken / worn-out phones in no time.

A great example would be tupperware tubs. Those plastic tabs that you can bend to click the lid and secure it down always break eventually.

I'll definitely keep my eye on this, but I'll stick to rigid displays until I have real-world proof these things can last!

 

[44267547]

I see the Samsung Defense Force is here.

Not even close. I’m a massive Apple supporter throughout, and I like to stay open minded to all options and realize that competition is a good thing, and Samsung is doing something that maybe other tech manufacturers should look at as well. I just mentioned to another poster, that the smart phone market is generally the same every single year with phones, change is good, and when you’re offering something like Samsung is, it’s refreshing to see new tech emerging.

 

[adeadpixel]

Weird flex, but okay

 

[Roller]

I can see the advantage of a screen that's almost twice the size of the folded device, but I'm very curious to see how this will work in practice: Will the fold be visible when the phone is unfolded? How durable will be internal components that cross the fold be? Laptops are hinged, but they're opened and closed far less often than a phone over the course of a day.

 

[MoreRumors?]

I would be interested to see this in person and test it out though I would not be the beta tester and buy one right away. If the rumored starting is the actual price, I don't want or need one that much to spend that kind of money for it.

Others are mentioning that they have no ‘desire’ for something like this, but they haven’t experienced a foldable design yet?...Just maybe this would change their mind with something new and innovative that may offer a totally new perspective. I for one could see myself wanting a foldable device for having the ability to enlarge the device and then reduce it pending my usage. Good for Samsung.

You're right. If it was Apple the first to come out with this, we would see comments like "Apple leads in innovation", "just take my money", "can't wait", (feel free to add phrases), etc.

 

[ROGmaster]

Depends. Many times it seems like Samsung is just hastily throwing it on the market because they know apple or someone else is working on something comparable.

Really?
Do you think Samsung got the idea for a foldable device from Apple? LoL