Samsung Rumored to Debut First Foldable Smartphone This Year

[cc00lltt00nn]

Hard pass. People cant keep their bar form factor phones intact. How the hell do you think this will last more than a couple weeks?

 

[curtvaughan]

So we’re going back to flip phones? Can’t see the first iteration being too advanced.

Very curious to see what Samsung will introduce as a “foldable phone”. I wouldn’t mind eventually seeing something that wraps around my wrist - a watch/smartphone amalgamation.

The only thing this has similar to the old flip phones a hinge. The old flip phones had a small non-touch screen on the top half, keyboard and controls on the bottom half. This thing has two touch screens separated by hinges. It's basically a phone which converts to a small tablet - a foldable iPad Mini with a phone transceiver convertible into a phone factor form.

 

[Abazigal]

Im actually VERY surprised to see this much enthusiasm for "foldable" phones.
It is a big NO NO for me, because of the practicality of the screen design will very likely make it fragile and prone to failure over regular usage.
Even the next generation materials for transparent conductors, encapsulation technology and the interfaces between the layers in displays are not yet optimised (not even in the cutting edge materials and device research centres) for consumer grade devices which may undergo tens of thousands of bends plus pokes plus temp/humidity change plus so many other factors.

There’s always a lot of enthusiasm for whatever Apple isn’t doing.

Anyone remember the initial furore over smart speakers, and how Apple was supposedly behind? Now, you hardly hear anyone talk about them, and it’s increasingly clear this doesn’t represent the new computing paradigm as once touted.

It’s just categorically cool to slag on Apple, especially now that they are no longer the underdogs.

 

[cube]

Hard pass. People cant keep their bar form factor phones intact. How the hell do you think this will last more than a couple weeks?

If it has a magnetic lock, for example, the main screen would get less scratched.

 

[dewski]

I'm game for any new tech, but how is the folding phone in that video better than a slim bar phone? I don't want a george castanza's wallet sized phone in my pocket. I'll take a thin phone with twice the foot print. And I'm a small phone guy.

 

[ROGmaster]

I don’t doubt that Samsung pushes technology forward. I think it’s the “me first” mentality that rubs people the wrong way. While advanced as it is, I think most would wait to call it innovative until it is perfected and is actually useful. Some of the “me first” features Samsung puts out are pretty gimmicky/crappy at first. Being first to market helps feed a lot of the petty comments you see on here from Samsung fans though, so I suppose it works for their base. It’s kind of all they got.

You doubt based on what exactly?
This? this? this? this? this? this? and this?https://www.anandtech.com/show/12301/samsung-starts-production-of-hbm2-aquabolt-memory-8-gb-24-gbps
Samsung has been demoing flexible screens since 2013. It's the nr. 1 reason iphone x doesn't have a chin.
But hey “me first” mentality right?

 

[cube]

I'm game for any new tech, but how is the folding phone in that video better than a slim bar phone? I don't want a george castanza's wallet sized phone in my pocket. I'll take a thin phone with twice the foot print. And I'm a small phone guy.

You could still have a Galaxy Note sized phone with a screen twice as big.

 

[Bacillus]

I think that the latest Fortnite saga with android casts a dark cloud on this.

While Epic is unhappy having to pay Apple their 30% cut, they do so for lack of a better alternative. iOS users still got fortnite first, so I have not lost out in any way.

Conversely, because Epic could bypass the google play store, that’s precisely what they did, and users are forced to sideload the app, exposing their devices to unnecessary risks. As it stands, they can’t even choose to download the app from the play store if they do desire.

Apple’s way is not without its restrictions, but it’s still the preferred way for me. It helps weed out malware, and dramatically cuts down on the incidence of software piracy, which in turn incentivises developers to focus on iOS first. The end result is that we as consumers are still the biggest winners here.

The Appstore advantage - as the Mac environment proves - is still theoretical (if not hypothetical) yet

 

[BvizioN]

Apple tries to keep things simple, but does not always succeed. It always keep struggling between the terms 'simple' and 'limited'. Just think what it takes for you to transfer files in your iPhone (music, movies, photos, custom ringtones or anything else for that matter) and how would you do it on an android. I can't think of anyone that would actually argue to the easiness of plugging a usb-c cable on their phone and having the external filesystem available for file transferring just like that.

Come to think of it, I can connect my Pixel 2 XL to my MacBook out of the box with the included cable, but I cannot do the same with my iPad.

I airdrop between my devices, which happen to be mostly Apple devices. Mac/iPad/iPhone. Songs/Movies/Ringtones etc are thing of the past for me. I pay a small fee and stream anything and everything I want. Ringtones I used to use when I was a teenage. Photos and videos taken with iPhone or iPad, I Airdrop. If I want them on an Android device or PC, I can access them from DropBox or Google Drive. Hassle free and no drama.

 

[dewski]

You could still have a Galaxy Note sized phone with a screen twice as big.

but it would be twice as thick when folded.

 

[Abazigal]

As more often, Apples attitude is “wait and see” while defensively patenting.
Most of its R&D never sees light - which is fairly disappointing for long-term customers funding it.
You may google on the “innovator’s dilemma” by Clayton Christensen.

I know what the innovator’s dilemma is. Heard it on stratechery many times. I just don’t think it really applies to Apple. So I raise you one “Apple’s grand theory of design” video.

 

[cube]

but it would be twice as thick when folded.

That is a poor assumption.

 

[DNichter]

You doubt based on what exactly?
This? this? this? this? this? this? and this?
Samsung has been demoing flexible screens since 2013. It's the nr. 1 reason iphone x doesn't have a chin.
But hey “me first” mentality right?

I said I don’t doubt. I know Samsung is a solid tech company. I’m saying rushing to be first at something gimmicky doesn’t necessarily make it innovative. I’m sure plenty of companies are working on whatever you linked here. Being first is everything to Samsung and it’s fans, so I don’t expect that to stop. It benefits Apple users in the end as well.

 

[dewski]

That is a poor assumption.

How do you mean? I am talking about the video posted in story. I can see it with my eyes being twice as thick.

 

[cube]

How do you mean? I am talking about the video posted in story. I can see it with my eyes being twice as thick.

It is just an old concept video. See my previous posts.

 

[ROGmaster]

I said I don’t doubt. I know Samsung is a solid tech company. I’m saying rushing to be first at something gimmicky doesn’t necessarily make it innovative.

Based on what are they rushing to be first? This article?
And yeah everything is a gimmick until Apple does it. Right? like wireless charging and fast charging, they are totally not gimmicks now.

I’m sure plenty of companies are working on whatever you linked here.

No other single companies if working on developing all those technologies.

 

[Abazigal]

The Appstore advantage - as the Mac environment proves - is still theoretical (if not hypothetical) yet

That many developers favour iOS first, and report it as being more lucrative than android, is fairly objective.

A benevolent dictatorship style of running things isn’t without its advantages here, for all parties involved.

 

[dev.gandhi]

Loved reading the Apple Copied Samsung Comments.. Pahahaha made my day.

Anyways. Apple have patents on the "foldable" displays, so in reality, they probably have been working on it for some time. So when apple actually do unveil it, it seems late and copied but in reality was always in the pipeline, just unveiled later than the competitors and as a much more refined product.

They don't do publicity stunts like these because they dont need the publicity to sell their products. Samsung do it for them by making pointless "your iPhone is crap" youtube videos/adverts. case in point where we already read Apple copied samsung comments! When was the last time you saw apple go.. "Hey look at this shiny new tech we working on!"

I'd be interested to find out the development of this product/technology. After all we as humans, progress via breakthrough in technology. Otherwise we'd still be living in caves

 

[Bacillus]

I know what the innovator’s dilemma is. Heard it on stratechery many times. I just don’t think it really applies to Apple. So I raise you one “Apple’s grand theory of design” video.

That’s the former Apple.
Currently:

[doublepost=1536152423][/doublepost]

That many developers favour iOS first, and report it as being more lucrative than android, is fairly objective.

A benevolent dictatorship style of running things isn’t without its advantages here, for all parties involved.

I was not really comparing iOS with Android but iOS (mandatory Appstore) with MacOS (optional Appstore)

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Neat, but phones are too small to put it to good use. Build a huge tablet that rolls up like a newspaper, like we were all shown in 1998, and dominate the 24”+ tablet market.

 

[rp2011]

Bigger screen.

I’m willing to bet a consumer device never materializes

 

[DNichter]

Based on what are they rushing to be first? This article?
And yeah everything is a gimmick until Apple does it. Right? like wireless charging and fast charging, they are totally not gimmicks now.



No other single companies if working on developing all those technologies.

Based on what I have seen released from the company. No, not every feature is gimmicky, but it can be at first. Usually a feature is worked on and perfected over time. Fast charging, like you mentioned, was part of the reason Samsung phones blew up a few years back. They probably should have taken their time with that instead of rushing it out the door so they could be first. Apple is working on foldable displays, new battery tech, micro LED, stuff like that. If you think Samsung is the only innovator out there, that’s fine, sounds like you are on the platform you should be.

 

[cube]

Neat, but phones are too small to make use of it. Build a huge tablet that rolls up like a newspaper, like we were all shown in 1998, and dominate the 24” tablet market.

You cannot fit that in your pocket.

 

[ROGmaster]

Loved reading the Apple Copied Samsung Comments.. Pahahaha made my day.

Anyways. Apple have patents on the "foldable" displays, so in reality, they probably have been working on it for some time.

Well probably, if they were lucky enough to get their hands on some of those Samsung flexible displays.

 

[curtvaughan]

Solution looking for a problem.

Take a piece of plastic (or metal) and fold it and un-fold it repeatedly.

Count how many times before it snaps.

I have a 15 year old Samsung A-650 foldable phone, one of the first cell phones with a camera. It still folds just fine, boots up, and the battery still charges. If I could find a replacement battery I'd reactivate the phone with my carrier and carry it around just for the novelty. Here's a photo of one for sale (not mine, which I'll keep.). It was sort of novel to watch people's reaction when you asked them to pose for phone.

https://www.iretron.com/Cell-Phones/Samsung/Samsung-SCH-A650;2653