Both Samsung and LG have plans to debut a foldable device this year
Samsung has been rumored to be working on a foldable device for a while now, with rumblings that competitors like LG would soon follow suit. Now according to a new report from the Korea Herald, the report suggests that Samsung will look to produce at least 100k of these foldable devices in the third quarter, while LG may do the same for the fourth quarter of 2017.
The interesting thing about this rumor is that Samsung’s device is rumored to be a smartphone that may be used as a 7″ tablet when it’s unfolded. That means the panels face outward instead of inward. Samsung started developing fold-out technology back in August according to the report, after deciding users may be annoyed by having to unfold their phones every time they want to use them. (Did Samsung forget flip phones have existed since the ’90s?)
While the initial report suggests Samsung may reveal the device this year, other sources indicate that Samsung still hasn’t decided on whether or not to introduce the new foldable smartphone because of marketability and profitability concerns. The report suggests Samsung plans on debuting their foldable device as one of their own Galaxy lines, while LG may develop the technology for a third-party partner such as Apple or Huawei.
Either way, we may not hear more about this device anytime soon since sources familiar with the matter say that the final decision won’t be made until after Samsung’s personnel reshuffle. That was supposed to happen last year in December, but it was delayed until February or March because of the president’s involvement in a South Korean political scandal.
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