Samsung's Anticipated Foldable Smartphone Revealed Privately at CES 2018: Report

Samsung has reportedly revealed its first foldable smartphone in a private meeting at CES 2018. At the event, Samsung announced a slew of electronic devices such as smart TVs, computers, and home appliances. But the South Korean giant is also said to have showcased the fold-in and fold-out design of the new foldable smartphone to select clients. Meanwhile, Samsung is set to launch its Galaxy S9 series smartphones at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018.

Apart from showcasing the foldable handset, Samsung is also said to have shared the timeline of its launch. It has informed that the production will begin by the end of 2018. A report in South Korean news website ETNews, cited a source as saying, "Samsung Display said it has developed a 7.3-inch foldable panel with plans to start production later this year."

Last year at the MWC 2017, Samsung had reportedly displayed a foldable smartphone through a private conference. According to the report, the company showcased an upgraded version of the foldable smartphone that it had shown last year. Samsung had reportedly invited various types of clients to show the smartphone. Another source has reportedly said, "Last year, MWC limited the scope of disclosure to a fairly strict level, but this time, we decided to set the target for the release somewhat broader and responded to it."

In Samsung's foldable smartphone, the in-folding has a curvature of 1R(0.1 mm) and out-folding has a curvature of 5R(0.1 mm). An earlier report in BusinessKorea said that Samsung could be able to achieve that level of flexibility by using a plastic material for display.

The new foldable smartphone has been speculated to be called the Samsung Galaxy X. The company has filed numerous patents for foldable phones in the recent past. During the launch of the Galaxy S8 smartphone, Samsung's mobile chief DJ Koh had said that it was aiming to introduce a foldable smartphone in its Galaxy Note smartphone series by as early as 2018.

Samsung clearly wants to beat Apple in launching a foldable smartphone. Last year, in November, Apple had filed a patent for an iPhone with a flexible portion. Another report out of Korea had claimed that Apple is working with LG Display on a foldable iPhone.