Samsung CEO D J Koh, in an interview with CNBC revealed that the company plans to make the foldable smartphone a reality and it will be launched in November 2018 at the Samsung Developer Conference in San Fransisco. Samsung is working on a foldable smartphone as a survey conducted by them reveals that the consumers need one. Samsung is trying work a design that is more like a smartphone and does not resemble a tablet in design or function. By foldable smartphone, Samsung does not mean to replicate or create a flip-phone with a hinge, rather they are working on foldable screen. Samsung’s display unit has already been working on the foldable display since 2014. Infact at CES 2014, Samsung even prototyped a 5.6-inch foldable display and showcased it to few of its customers.
At IFA 2018 Berlin, Koh said, “You can use most of the uses … on foldable status. But when you need to browse or see something, then you may need to unfold it. But even unfolded, what kind of benefit does that give compared to the tablet? If the unfolded experience is the same as the tablet, why would they (consumers) buy it?”
“So every device, every feature, every innovation should have a meaningful message to our end customer. So when the end customer uses it, (they think) ‘wow, this is the reason Samsung made it’.”
Samsung is facing tough time in selling its smartphones in India and elsewhere, Chinese smartphone brands have overtaken Samsung and are also innovating on camera setup, screens etc. Samsung is the only manufacturer that is also not using the notch displays on its phone. Samsung is also planning to add value to their mid-range phones, the A-series which are priced currently at par with many flagships but offer mediocre performance and hardware.
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