The foldable phone Samsung has been teasing for nigh-on a decade will actually launch – not as a concept, but as a real, purchasable product – in early 2019, reports have claimed.
The Wall Street Journal’s sources say a 7-inch display that ‘folds like a wallet’ with a ‘display bar’ built into one side to show content when said wallet is closed.
This would likely to be similar to the way portions of a single-screen phone are shown when users deploy folio cases. The other side of the phone will house the cameras, the report says.
Internally, the handset is reportedly called ‘Winner’ and planned for a limited launch in the early part of next year, with the firm initially targeting gamers. A wider launch will come during the second half of the year, according to the sources.
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The report says Samsung hopes this new line can become its third flagship range, alongside the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note annual releases.
While Samsung phones are generally considered among the finest the Android platform has to offer, sales have been tailing off in recent times as annual updates become less pronounced and more expensive. Samsung thinks this could arrest the slide, the report says.
One stumbling block to widespread adoption could be the price, according to the report. It could “easily” cost more than $1,500, the sources tell the Wall Street Journal.
It’s not clear exactly when Samsung will chose to unveil the handset. The obvious place would be the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next February. Samsung will probably take the wrapper off the Galaxy S10 at a separate Unpacked event around the same time. Announcing the devices separately would give each a chance to breathe, while unquestionably stealing the show from rivals also appearing at MWC.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Note 9 is due to arrive on August 9 at an Unpacked event.
Do you see yourself rocking a Samsung Winner during 2019? What are your hopes when Samsung’s long-term plan finally comes to fruition? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.