With more and more Android smartphone sellers voicing their opinions on the foldable phone concept, and Apple rumors about a possible future foldable iPhone, Google looks set to hit it off this year with its first foldable Pixel device.
/article-new/2020/08/Pixel-Fold.jpg?resize=560%2C315&ssl=1){kind=tracking}
MacRumors concept render
According to a new report from The Elec, Samsung is in the process of developing foldable folding OLED panels for delivery to Oppo, Xiaomi and Google. The panels are said to be for use in devices launching later in 2021, and Google has reportedly asked Samsung Display to develop a foldable OLED panel measuring approximately 7.6 inches.
Documents leaked last August suggested that Google has plans to release a foldable pixel phone in the fourth quarter of 2021. Google confirmed in 2019 that it is developing technology that can be used in foldable devices, although at the time the company anticipated the prospect of actually a foldable launch, saying there was “no clear use case yet.”
That said, Google is developing the software to run on all Android foldable devices, which would give it a distinct advantage when it comes to foldable hardware software integration.
Today’s report adds further support to the prospect of a foldable Google, which will use the now more widely-preferred folding design, most recently demonstrated by the Xiaomi Mate X2, whose predecessor was unfolded by comparison. According to Xiaomi, advances in hinge technology and materials used in the Mate X2 ensure a seamless crease without gaps and eliminate the problem of screen creases.
Samsung was the first to market a consumer foldable device, but the 2019 Galaxy Fold suffered from major design issues, including wrinkles in the screen and panel breakage along the hinge due to dirt ingress and other issues.
Thanks to lessons learned from the design of the Fold, Samsung improved the design and eventually brought the Fold back to the market. The company has since released foldable flip phones – most recently the clamshell-style Galaxy Z Flip.
Market research firm Omdia expects sales of foldable OLED to reach $ 2.1 billion this year, up 203% from 2020. Most sales are expected to be through Samsung Display’s foldable panels, and although Apple doesn’t appear to be a final decision As to whether it will launch a foldable smartphone, previous rumors have suggested that Apple has requested foldable display samples from Samsung for testing purposes in a future iPhone.
Samsung has historically been a major supplier to Apple, providing the OLED screens for iPhones. The company plans to dominate the foldable display market as a supplier and was considering ramping up production to 10 million units per year, depending on demand.
Apple has been known to have been working on folding display technology for quite some time, filing multiple patents related to the technology, and there are also rumors surrounding LG’s possible involvement.
The repeated innuendo of Samsung’s involvement and the orders placed by Apple offers a more concrete suggestion that work on a foldable iPhone is continuing at a rapid pace, with some rumors suggesting its release as early as 2023.