Samsung's Hyped Folding Smartphone Will Reportedly Be On Display This Week
Samsung is planning to release a foldable smartphone at some point in the near future, though the company has not shared any detailed information just yet. That could very well change this week. The Samsung Developer Conference is scheduled to run from November 7-8 (Wednesday and Thursday) in San Francisco, and it's expected that Samsung will reveal to developers what it's been working on.
A folding smartphone has been one of the most persistent rumors in recent weeks. Samsung has not been shy about its desire to wade into the bendable space, and various patent applications may provide clues as to what its eventual device will entail. All that is left at this point is an official announcement, which could come as early as tomorrow.
"Unlike our flagship products, the foldable phone is a completely new concept in terms of design and user experience, which requires a different approach," a Samsung official told Reuters.
The Samsung official who said that did not want to be identified because the phone is not official yet, but he did make clear that details are coming this week. "Before we take it to the market, we want to share with developers what we've done so far and see what they think of it," the official added.
We get the sense that Samsung is pretty excited about this product. Not only are inside officials speaking off the record, Samsung also recently teased the folding phone's existence in a Twitter post, all but confirming the many rumors. The question is, will John Q. Public have any interest in a folding smartphone?
Part of the answer will depend on how developers are able to leverage the design, and whether they can offer unique and useful experiences. This editor has his doubts that this will be anything more than a niche product, and perhaps a footnote in the ongoing evolution of the smartphone.