Samsung’s first foldable Android smartphone will be comparable to a tablet when folded out but also be extremely compact while used in a bent state, according to a new report from South Korea that claims to have the exact display size of the upcoming device. When used in its folded, clamshell-like state, the device is said to make use of a 4.6-inch screen located on its rear panel, whereas the opposite side of its case accommodates a 7.3-inch panel which can be bent in half, as per the same report. The result of that design philosophy should effectively be the evolution of a flip phone concept which will resemble the shape of a wallet when folded.
Samsung mobile chief DJ Koh recently confirmed the company will be announcing its seminal device this year, though the handset still isn’t likely to hit the store shelves prior to 2019. It’s still unclear whether the product will be advertised as the Galaxy X, Galaxy F, or something else entirely, with a lot of possible names circulating the industry in recent years. The South Korean original equipment manufacturer will reportedly be manufacturing its first foldable phone in limited quantities and use it to test the global market response to such a product, with the device itself being likely to feature a price tag in the ballpark of $1,500. The initial production batch is expected to consist of some 100,000 units, a far cry from millions of Galaxy S and Galaxy Note-series models Samsung makes every year.
The device should use an OLED panel from Samsung Display with a curvature ratio of 1.5R, according to previous reports. The company is expected to equip its first foldable handset with high-end specs comparable to those of the recently launched Galaxy Note 9 and has already signaled it’s planning to turn bendable phones into a standalone lineup in the near future.