According to a new report from Korea, courtesy of The Elec, Samsung will soon start producing foldable displays for Google, Xiaomi, and Vivo. All three of those companies plan to announce foldable smartphones in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Samsung Display will manufacture foldable displays for Google, Xiaomi & Vivo
The Elec says that Samsung Display will start producing foldable OLED panels for these OEMs in October. The source also released more information on these panels themselves.
The panel for the foldable Google Pixel handset will measure 7.6 inches, and we’re looking at an in-folding smartphone here. Vivo, on the other hand, will use a larger 8-inch panel for its foldable smartphone. That panel will offer a 10.2:9 aspect ratio, which is quite odd.
It was also mentioned that the external panel on Vivo’s foldable will utilize a 6.5-inch display from BOE. In regards to Samsung’s displays, they’ll be made on the A3 lines in Samsung’s Asia plant.
Regarding screen dimensions for Xiaomi’s foldable smartphone, well, they’re unknown at the moment. It is known that Samsung will make the foldable panel for the device, while CSOT will make the external one.
OPPO won’t launch its first foldable smartphone this year
Now, some of you may recall that OPPO was also supposed to launch a foldable in 2021, and use Samsung’s panels. Well, it seems like the launch of OPPO’s foldable smartphone has been pushed back. The company is expected to present it in 2022.
The source claims that OPPO’s foldable will have a clamshell design with a 7.1-inch LTPO panel inside, and a 1.5-2-inch external display. An 8-inch model was also mentioned, though, but that variant may not launch.
Huawei was also planning to use a panel from Samsung Display, it seems, but those plans didn’t pan out. Huawei turned to BOE to make foldable displays for its Mate X and Mate X2 foldable smartphones.
It is not exactly clear when exactly will foldables from Xiaomi, Vivo, and Google launch, but you can expect them in Q4 this year.