Move over bezel-less displays: Samsung, LG set sights on foldable smartphones for 2019

Pranav Hegde

Smartphones these days don full screen, almost bezel-less displays with multiple cameras, powerful processors and bigger batteries.

Though the innovation may be at its peak, individual components aren’t available to their full capabilities in smartphones as of now. Companies are working on making faster processors that do not heat the device, bigger batteries which have a thin form factor, etc.

What seems to be an upgrade in order to achieve these requirements is introduction of foldable smartphones. Multiple Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are in works to introduce foldable smartphones and consumers may be able to buy the new tech this year.

Samsung confirmed that it will launch a foldable smartphone in 2019. In its launch event last year in November, the company showcased a tablet-sized screen which can be folded into a smartphone.

Samsung called it ‘Infinity Flex Display’. No details were given during the event except that the main screen is a 7.3-inch display which can be folded to a candy-bar sized smartphone with a screen on 4.6-inches. The phone is tipped to be called as the Samsung Galaxy X or Galaxy F and the rumour mill states that it will be priced around $1400.

LG, that doesn't like to be behind innovation and has been competing with Samsung in the display department, had also teased a foldable smartphone last year. The company filed a patent showing a “mobile phone with a flexible display which can be folded in half” .

LG Mobile CEO, Hwang Jeong-hwan told Korean news site Yonhap: “We are working hard with our partners on various obstacles that can occur while folding and unfolding.” On being asked about the launch date, he said the company will launch the device when they can provide enough customer value rather than being the first in the world.

A legendary smartphone manufacturer once upon a time, Nokia had filed a patent in December 2013, which was granted last year. The patent hints that Nokia will launch a foldable display smartphone this year. No details are available on the size of the display or any other specifications.

Huawei CEO, Richard Yu, confirmed in 2017 that the company will launch a foldable smartphone this year. He had said that the company is working on a flexible smartphone prototype and similar patent diagrams appeared online in March 2018. The patent document reads a device simply as “foldable smartphone”, but show a book-like phone that can be opened up to create a larger tablet with a hinge connecting each of the two screens.