Samsung Galaxy Fold

[kdarling]

In the meantime, a company called Royole (means Royal) has announced their own folding phone, and has promised delivery this year of its developer model (~$1300).

However, their screen folds outwards, while I think the Samsung folds inward with a separate external display when folded.

http://www.royole.com/

 

[rhinosrcool]

In the meantime, a company called Royole (means Royal) has announced their own folding phone, and has promised delivery this year of its developer model (~$1300).

However, theirs folds outwards, while I think the Samsung folds inward with a separate external display when folded.

http://www.royole.com/

View attachment 802206

https://www.sammobile.com/2018/11/07/what-samsungs-foldable-display-looks-like/amp/

Looks intriguing. (esp, the GIF).

 

[mi7chy]

Looks tiny when folded. Relative to hand size looks about a sub 5".

Boils down if you prefer something like a 6.4" unfolded or a 7.5" that you have to unfold every time. Sort of leaning towards former but maybe I'll change my mind if I see it in person.

 

[jamesrick80]

Not liking it so far...final prototype better remove those bezels....and I don't like the idea of notches(ABC shapes)/open holes on future samsung phones......glad I will happily keep my fully loaded note 9 for next 2 years why Sammy figures this stuff out.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Not liking it so far...final prototype better remove those bezels....and I don't like the idea of notches(ABC shapes)/open holes on future samsung phones......glad I will happily keep my fully loaded note 9 for next 2 years why Sammy figures this stuff out.

That’s not what it looks like. It was disguised in a case. It’s very thin they said. Thinner than any phone they have made before.

 

[Mars56]

So did they finally show a product after hyping foldable screens and their rumors for years now?

 

[1050792]

This is going to be huge, probably a new category in mobile just like the Note series.

 

[kdarling]

Yeah I was thinking about that - the dimensions intrigue me.

 

[pika2000]

IMO foldable screens in a phone are not needed. It would make them thicker, heavier and more awkward to use. Not to mention potentially more expensive.

That's actually the point. Samsung is losing marketshare, and every year their phones as not selling as well as the previous year. So they need to push up the ASP with bleeding edge tech like this while pushing down with cheaper handsets to make up the volume (Samsung is already having somebody else make phones for them and slap Samsung's label on it, first one is the Galaxy A6s). This seems to be Samsung's new strategy as the mid-range market is getting ultra crowded with the Chinese.

As for buying a Samsung phone, why? In a year or two, we will see one of the Chinese OEMs selling foldable phones for half the price. Don't underestimate the Chinese. Even Huawei has figured out how to minimize the chin on their bezelless phones (without folding OLED like Apple did).

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

That's actually the point. Samsung is losing marketshare, and every year their phones as not selling as well as the previous year. So they need to push up the ASP with bleeding edge tech like this while pushing down with cheaper handsets to make up the volume (Samsung is already having somebody else make phones for them and slap Samsung's label on it, first one is the Galaxy A6s). This seems to be Samsung's new strategy as the mid-range market is getting ultra crowded with the Chinese.

As for buying a Samsung phone, why? In a year or two, we will see one of the Chinese OEMs selling foldable phones for half the price. Don't underestimate the Chinese. Even Huawei has figured out how to minimize the chin on their bezelless phones (without folding OLED like Apple did).

These Chinese companies are going to have a hard time appeasing the spoiled and OCD mentality of the Western World, when it comes to build quality, software, customer support, and etc. Samsung and Apple have damn near unlimited funds for R&D. Chinese companies might be gaining strength in the mid-priced market in other part of the globe, but not in the flagship/top tier market of the Western World.

 

[Ralfi]

and I don't like the idea of notches(ABC shapes)/open holes on future samsung phones

This seems very stubborn to me. Bezels are dated imo, no matter how small. The proposed O/U/V "notches" on future Samsungs will bring many more benefits to users, the main one being a much smaller form factor.

 

[jamesrick80]

This seems very stubborn to me. Bezels are dated imo, no matter how small. The proposed O/U/V "notches" on future Samsungs will bring many more benefits to users, the main one being a much smaller form factor.

Stubborn is you preferring a notch....small top and bottom bezels are just fine........no true benefit for users especially if you have to remove other benefits to provide whatever benefits you are thinking of.

 

[Ralfi]

Stubborn is you preferring a notch....small top and bottom bezels are just fine........no true benefit for users especially if you have to remove other benefits to provide whatever benefits you are thinking of.

Would you prefer the current Galaxy design over the 1st & 2nd of the below?

 

[Shanghaichica]

These Chinese companies are going to have a hard time appeasing the spoiled and OCD mentality of the Western World, when it comes to build quality, software, customer support, and etc. Samsung and Apple have damn near unlimited funds for R&D. Chinese companies might be gaining strength in the mid-priced market in other part of the globe, but not in the flagship/top tier market of the Western World.

I know. Many of us in the West don’t want a knock off almost as good mid range phone.

 

[Tsepz]

Not liking it so far...final prototype better remove those bezels....and I don't like the idea of notches(ABC shapes)/open holes on future samsung phones......glad I will happily keep my fully loaded note 9 for next 2 years why Sammy figures this stuff out.

How often do you change phones? I'm sure they will have something to entice you, just wait for the Note10, pretty sure it will have 8GB RAM standard and will probably have some super slim bezels. The Note9 in terms of design is mostly a slightly tweaked Note8, so the Note10 will come in with a refreshing new look that will make the Note8 and Note9 look old, much like the S6 Edge made the S6 look completely dated.

Yeah, seems Samsung will be embracing the notch with the Infinity - U and Infinity - V displays.

 

[Shanghaichica]

How often do you change phones? I'm sure they will have something to entice you, just wait for the Note10, pretty sure it will have 8GB RAM standard and will probably have some super slim bezels. The Note9 in terms of design is mostly a slightly tweaked Note8, so the Note10 will come in with a refreshing new look that will make the Note8 and Note9 look old, much like the S6 Edge made the S6 look completely dated.

Yeah, seems Samsung will be embracing the notch with the Infinity - U and Infinity - V displays.

That’s not really a notch though is it? Definitely better than Apple’s notch or Google’s.

 

[Tsepz]

That’s not really a notch though is it? Definitely better than Apple’s notch or Google’s.

It's the sort of notch that the Essential Phone, OnePlus 6T and Huawei Mate 20 and Mate 20 X have basically.

 

[StellarVixen]

I see people laughing now, criticizing, saying "it's too thick in folded mode".

In like two years, this is gonna be everywhere in people's hands. Wait and see.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I see people laughing now, criticizing, saying "it's too thick in folded mode".

In like two years, this is gonna be everywhere in people's hands. Wait and see.

It doesn’t even look like that. It was inside s case to disguise it. They said that it was the thinnest display they had ever made.

 

[SteveJUAE]

Where's the pre-order button LOL sign me up now

MS has shown what's possible outside of clamshells and now Samsung will diversify the current rut of smartphones format again

Even if they just inspire others we have lost nothing

Does not matter if your Apple or Samsung or any other OEM top end phone sales are down, Apple solution is higher price because many buy less often, many Apple analysist question this but personally I like the diversity offered by others to suit all pockets and is why Samsung are still the largest producer of phones and Android is the dominant OS

 

[jamesrick80]

How often do you change phones? I'm sure they will have something to entice you, just wait for the Note10, pretty sure it will have 8GB RAM standard and will probably have some super slim bezels. The Note9 in terms of design is mostly a slightly tweaked Note8, so the Note10 will come in with a refreshing new look that will make the Note8 and Note9 look old, much like the S6 Edge made the S6 look completely dated.

Yeah, seems Samsung will be embracing the notch with the Infinity - U and Infinity - V displays.

I change phones every year, but Im thinking for the first time in several years to keep my current phone for 2 years. Yeah I complain now but I'm a Sammy fanboy at heart so I will see what happens next year as usual.

 

[drinkingtea]

Nice.

But I saw the new Samsung Pie UI. It’s so ugly. So, so ugly.

 

[kasakka]

Glad to see this is finally becoming a reality. While first iterations will probably suffer from both apps and websites not making ideal use of the tablet mode, eventually we should have better tablet optimization on Android as devices like these become the new norm.

I already like that the folded size is not a 6" phone. Smaller phone is easier to handle then you just fold it out to a bigger one when you need more screen for say videos or maps. Best of both worlds. I'm still sure some Chinese OEMs wil try to peddle a 6" phone that folds out to a 12" tablet.

I want to try it but don't see myself buying a first gen device.

 

[SteveJUAE]

I'm not sure OS and app wise why so many are concerned

Firstly Android has already had the additional functionality of switching between a front screen and a inner or outer alternative Screen added to the OS

Android already has many tablets that use larger screens and multiple window use and it's not like we are doing massive upscaling like IOS from Iphone to IPP, this is a 7.3" screen

Looking at the brief insights we have had of the "F" re running 3 continuous apps these are 1 plus 2x 1/2 windows so no upscaling for many scenarios

Samsung tablets already have most native apps that will run in a full window and this is smaller than the Tab 3/4

The front screen appears slightly smaller than the say the S8/S9 so no issues there

I'm not sure what others are expecting of the new foldable screen. If is does as a minimum what Android tablets and phones do which in terms of multi windows which is already superior to iPhone/IP/IPP the rest is all icing on the cake and we haven't even mentioned possible SPen use

 

[mib1800]

I'm not sure OS and app wise why so many are concerned

Firstly Android has already had the additional functionality of switching between a front screen and a inner or outer alternative Screen added to the OS

Android already has many tablets that use larger screens and multiple window use and it's not like we are doing massive upscaling like IOS from Iphone to IPP, this is a 7.3" screen

Looking at the brief insights we have had of the "F" re running 3 continuous apps these are 1 plus 2x 1/2 windows so no upscaling for many scenarios

Samsung tablets already have most native apps that will run in a full window and this is smaller than the Tab 3/4

The front screen appears slightly smaller than the say the S8/S9 so no issues there

I'm not sure what others are expecting if the new foldable screen does as a minimum what Android tablets and phones do which in terms of multi windows which is already superior to iPhone/IP/IPP the rest is all icing on the cake and we haven't even mentioned possible SPen use

We know tablet is out of favor and is dying a slow death. The F makes a tablet pocketable so it may change a lot of things including more use cases which are not possible/convenient now.