Samsung could release a foldable smartphone next year

The idea of Samsung building a device with foldable displays has been rumored for many years. Samsung’s many patents and rumors for foldable devices have popped up as early as 2014 and as recent as this month. Eventually, the rumors will become a real device, right? Yet another rumor indicates that we could see such a device next year.

The new rumor is out of ETNews. They report that Samsung has been working on a foldable smartphone for three years. The device could be used as a 5-inch phone when folded and a 7-inch tablet when unfolded. The display is said to be OLED, but there’s no word on resolution. Apparently, Samsung’s display division has already finished the prototype.

This device could arrive next year, but this isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a device like this coming “next year.” Earlier this year there was a rumor that the device would launch in 2016. The year isn’t over yet, but that rumor isn’t looking good. A foldable device could be the next big shift in mobile devices. One device could simultaneously fit in your pocket and act as a tablet. There have been devices in the past that attempt to be both phones and tablets, but the execution has never been quite right. What do you think about foldable displays?

[via SamMobile]