Samsung’s Foldable Phone Coming Early Next Year

Samsung is reportedly getting ready to launch its foldable phone early next year. The company previously confirmed its plans for a foldable phone earlier this year, and it’s looking to launch the new foldable phone in early 2019 to help boost its handset business.

The foldable phone, internally known as Winner, includes a 7-inch foldable screen, reports the WSJ. When folded, the device includes a smaller “display bar” on the front, allowing users to use the device like a phone. When fully opened, the device can essentially be used as a small tablet. Samsung’s new Winner phone will be the third flagship for the firm, joining the existing Galaxy S and Galaxy Note lines.

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Samsung will be one of the first big manufacturers to build a foldable phone. The company knows the product won’t be a big seller right off the bat, and it will be rolling it out in specific markets in different phases. A larger, commercial debut is expected for the second half of 2019. The smartphone giant could first focus on gamers for the phone, according to WSJ. It could end up costing more than $1,500 because of the expensive foldable display as well as the bigger battery and more powerful processors required to power the entire device. Samsung is even concerned about potential overheating, which makes a lot of sense as it definitely doesn’t want to go through the Note 7 debacle all over again.

Samsung’s foldable phone could pave the way for the firm’s next-gen smartphones. With the disappointing Galaxy 9 sales, the company executives are pushing for a new product that will ensure a long-term boost in demand for its handset business, with the project being one of its top priorities at the moment.

When Samsung’s Winner phone launches, it will be the first mainstream phone with a foldable display. Microsoft has also been working on a similar device known as Andromeda, though that product is allegedly going through significant changes at the moment. It’s highly likely Samsung will beat Microsoft to the punch, undercutting Redmond’s Andromeda, possibly making it a huge failure.

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Conversation 17 comments

  • RonH

    Premium Member
    18 July, 2018 - 10:49 am

    <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">"It’s highly likely Samsung will beat Microsoft to the punch, rendering Redmond’s Andromeda a huge failure."</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Being second or third does not make something a failure.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">INHO</span></p>

  • mmcpher

    Premium Member
    18 July, 2018 - 11:21 am

    <p>Mehedi, your sour/dour "huge failure" comment is hardly surprising given your downbeat association with Sams and Thurrott! But it's hard to follow sometimes how Microsoft is supposed to act if it's to gratify the dark, brooding and morose thurrott.com sensibilities. Andromeda is either a failure if it's launched now or a failure if it's launched later. Why bother at all, if success is dependent on Microsoft making a breakthrough, flawless device that has to be covet-worthy and cool while at the same time somehow not allowing any competitors to make similar devices? So Microsoft has to open and close a market segment at launch or else they are fools! </p><p><br></p><p>Or could there be something to this dual-screen design? In which case why shouldn't a forward-looking tech company get in there and compete and maybe lead? Why do you guys always default to the position that the only safe and prudent course is for Microsoft to be too chicken-spit to compete?</p>

    • kzrystof

      18 July, 2018 - 11:40 am

      <blockquote><a href="#293297"><em>In reply to mmcpher:</em></a></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Paul has been saying for a long time now that the biggest hurdle for the Andromeda device is the app ecosystem, not the device itself which is looking good. Am I mistaken? </p><p><br></p>

    • AnOldAmigaUser

      Premium Member
      18 July, 2018 - 11:51 am

      <blockquote><a href="#293297"><em>In reply to mmcpher:</em></a></blockquote><p>Really? What role is an Andromeda like device going to play in your life that is not already supported by a device you already own? I get it that a foldable device would be cool, but after that, what is it going to do. If you need to carry a Bluetooth keyboard, a mouse, maybe a dock…it is easier to carry a laptop or tablet. Will it be a better phone than your phone? No. A note taking device? How about the iPad, Surface Go (or Pro) or Samsung Note.</p><p>It is not a foregone conclusion that Samsung's device will be successful. The market for a $1500 phone is niche at best. What will it do better than the Note? Perhaps that is what everyone needs to see, before realizing that in the case of Andromeda, Microsoft is wise in thinking discretion is the better part of valor.</p><p>I would love to see Andromeda built, if Microsoft can create a device that can meet a need that I did not know I had, but releasing a device just to be first would be stupid; as would releasing it before it is ready.</p><p>Andromeda, as Courier before it (…and, god, did I want one of those), is still the hardware equivalent of vaporware. All we know about it is rumor and leaks. It is not real, and until it is, we should all take a deep breathe and wait.</p><p><br></p>

      • mmcpher

        Premium Member
        18 July, 2018 - 3:08 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#293311"><em>In reply to AnOldAmigaUser:</em></a></blockquote><p>I'm hoping someone will build a better mousetrap. Maybe I'm in the minority but the glow surrounding my slabscreen is getting a little dull and dim. I don't pick up my phone and feel an overwhelming sense of transcendence that I've arrived at some communication/content/productivity singularity. I keep hoping for better and would like to see Microsoft be a part of a better future. I see reasons to be hopeful in their Surface Books, Hubs and Studios. </p>

        • AnOldAmigaUser

          Premium Member
          18 July, 2018 - 3:30 pm

          <blockquote><a href="#293401"><em>In reply to mmcpher:</em></a></blockquote><p>I as well. I am just not sure that a folding device, no matter how awesome the technology…and it is…will be that better mousetrap. In the end, it is just another screen with a new trick.</p>

        • karlinhigh

          Premium Member
          19 July, 2018 - 10:21 am

          <blockquote><a href="#293401"><em>In reply to mmcpher:</em></a><em> I don't pick up my phone and feel an overwhelming sense of transcendence that I've arrived at some communication/content/productivity singularity.</em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Some people would be quite concerned if an electronic device had such an effect on them.</p>

  • Daekar

    18 July, 2018 - 11:41 am

    <p>So… if Andromeda doesn't do well, this phone won't be the reason, I can guarantee that.</p><p><br></p><p>Honestly, I don't expect this thing to sell well to normals of any stripe no matter how good it is, unless they have it absolutely nailed down and do some incredible advertising.</p>

  • Winner

    18 July, 2018 - 1:28 pm

    <p><em>The foldable phone, internally known as Winner</em></p><p><br></p><p>I like that!</p>

  • curtisspendlove

    18 July, 2018 - 1:44 pm

    <p>$1500 ouch. At least we can stop talking about the iPhone X being overpriced drivel soon. </p><p><br></p><p>That said…if it’s cool, it could definitely be worth the price to some. </p><p><br></p><p>:D</p>

  • christian.hvid

    18 July, 2018 - 4:41 pm

    <p>If and when this form factor gains traction, I wonder if the industry is going to repurpose the "notebook" designation? I never understood why it was used for laptops anyway.</p>

  • Thom77

    18 July, 2018 - 7:02 pm

    <p>If they do this right, it could be a game changer technologically speaking imo. Im definetly interested in it, although $1500 is out of my rational spending range. </p>

  • Mark from CO

    18 July, 2018 - 7:13 pm

    <p>We'll soon be seeing if Paul, Mary Jo and you are correct about whether this can fly. The price will keep it in the niche category, at least for a while. But something I can take with me and use a mobile device and then dock and use as my PC at home is attractive. I get the risks, but like others, I don't understand the negativity you all have for this device. Paul is right about the lack of apps, but he was also the one touting how PWAs will even the app field. This has got to be looked at as a long-term play by Microsoft.</p><p><br></p><p>However you view this, and however this might turn out in the marketplace, this is just another in a running list of examples (speech, translations, personal assistants, AR/VR/MR, add your own example, etc.) where Microsoft has shown/leaked its supposed technology prowess, only to have the competition beat it to market. Interesting to note that most in the list have AI foundations, where Microsoft is supposed to be so good.</p><p><br></p><p>My hope… Microsoft's gets off its rear end and begins to compete.</p>

  • Michael Sorrentino

    18 July, 2018 - 11:42 pm

    <p>To me a true game changer at this point in the smartphone industry would be having it cost under $500 bucks! Even at low end you can't find anything cheaper than $150 for older models. Honestly, do these companies think that people have that type of expendable income? Then again Apple gets them through the door so…</p>

  • John Craig

    19 July, 2018 - 2:28 am

    <p>I don't get it…when Microsoft looks like they'll release a foldable device everyone's like "what? Why? There's no market for that, stupid idea!" </p><p><br></p><p>Wen Samsung says they'll launch one, people ooh and ah at the idea. </p>

    • glenn8878

      19 July, 2018 - 8:44 am

      <blockquote><a href="#293592"><em>In reply to John_Craig:</em></a></blockquote><p>There’s still no market for it as a Windows device. As for Android, $1500 is a lot. </p>

  • Awhispersecho

    Premium Member
    19 July, 2018 - 9:40 am

    <p>It's been about 2 weeks now so it's probably time for MS to go back to the drawing board and restart Andromeda again. </p><p><br></p><p>As for disappointing Galaxy S9 sales. I'm not sure what they expect. The phone came out a little less than a year after the S8 and 6 months after the Note 8. Since I don't know the numbers, let's just say that 20 million people bought 1 of those phones. Do they really think that there is going to be that same demand for a new flagship 11 and 6 months later when the previous phones are still amazing. </p><p><br></p><p>They need to start release the S and Note phones at the same time so they start having a year between flagship releases if they are going to look at sales the way they do. </p>

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