The Galaxy Fold may not have been the successful launch Samsung was hoping for, but the company’s not giving up on foldable phones. We still have no word on whether the Galaxy Fold will come out, but a new report suggests Samsung is already working on a second foldable phone — one with a clamshell design.
The report comes from Korean publication ET News, which has a history of accurately reporting on Korean companies like Samsung and LG. ET News said production on the clamshell Samsung foldable phone will begin in November, with the official launch set for the first half of 2020.
The new device will reportedly sport a 6.7-inch display, which is the same display size as the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. Unlike the Galaxy Fold, which folds like a book, the clamshell foldable phone resembles a normal phone that will fold vertically in the middle. It means the phone will be compact when folded up. It’s akin to the foldable phone seen in Netflix’s latest season of ‘Black Mirror.’
Samsung isn’t the only company working on a foldable phone with a clamshell-like design. Motorola is rumored to be working on one under the Razr brand. There’s no specific release date for the new Razr phone just yet, but some reports indicate the device could launch as soon as this summer.
The news isn’t all that surprising, as companies often develop products a year or two ahead of launch. Samsung likely has been tinkering with alternative foldable phone concepts, though the poor launch of the Galaxy Fold could have accelerated development plans for the next model.
The Galaxy Fold was set to launch in April, but tech reviewers found durability issues with the display. It prompted Samsung to ask for review units back and delay the consumer launch of the phone; the company has yet to announce a new shipping date for pre-ordered phones, and AT&T has gone so far as to cancel Fold pre-orders. One misstep with its foldable phone isn’t going to put Samsung down, as foldable phones will soon be a major step forward in the future of smartphones. We’re expecting several major companies to release a foldable smartphone in the next few years — including Apple.
