Samsung has, since the original Galaxy S was released way back in 2010, launched a Galaxy S device every single year, and since 2011, they’ve launched larger devices as part of their Galaxy Note line every year as well. With the arrival of flexible display technology came some more flagship devices added to Samsung’s yearly lineups, such as last year’s Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. In fact, 2015 was a year of more diversification to their flagship than ever before for Samsung, with the Galaxy S6 Edge+ launching as well to make it four flagships for the year, as oppose to the usual two. Now though, a new rumor out of China is pointing towards Samsung launching five flagships for the year of 2017.
The report states that the year will begin with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Edge and then add the Galaxy Note 7 and Galaxy Note 7 Edge. The fifth device is said to be dubbed the Galaxy X, but whether or not this is a final release name or an internal codename is unclear at this point. Launching a standard Galaxy S and an “edge” variant is something many consumers will become accustomed to, but a Galaxy Note Edge device seems a little out there, given that the original Galaxy Note Edge didn’t sell all that well. Regardless, the headlining addition here is going to be the Galaxy X, which rumor has it is the fabled “foldable smartphone” that we’ve been hearing a little more of recently.
Originally known as “Project Valley” the Galaxy X could be the big release that Samsung has been working on to show off their flexible display technology to its fullest. With little to go on but a rumored 2017 release date however, the Galaxy X still remains a total mystery, as do the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note of course, but one could predict much of what Samsung is to do with next year’s Galaxy S and Galaxy Note lines. So far, the only particulars out there is that the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Edge will both feature 2560 x 1440 display resolution, as will the Galaxy Note 7 and Galaxy Note 7 Edge. The Galaxy X meanwhile, is rumored to feature a 4K display with a diamond PenTile sub-pixel arrangement. Such a display would make the Galaxy X a great device for virtual reality, but how the whole foldable thing works in there is unclear.