14 DAY TRIAL // Sometime in March, a report surfaced saying that Samsung would be ready to unleash a foldable smartphone as soon as 2016.
And according to new information, this initiative already has a codename. As Sam Mobile claims, Samsung’s first foldable smartphone is codenamed Project Valley or Project V and is currently in the early stages of development.
Back at MWC 2014, we heard that Samsung had showcased a foldable tablet behind closed doors to VIP and partners, so it appears that the Korean tech giant was working with the technology for some time.
And as sources familiar with the matter reveal, Project Valley is an ambitious project. In all likelihood, Project V is Samsung’s first dual-screen smartphone, possibly coming with a foldable form factor.
Project V is in its infancy
The device is said to offer support for multiple gestures for switching between its two screens, and the theory goes to suggest that its name Project Valley/V might imply that we’re dealing with a foldable device of some sort.
However, given that the project is still in the initial stages of development, we shouldn’t be expecting to see Project V out and about anytime soon.
As far as we know, Samsung might encounter some major issues and be forced to pull the plug on the endeavor. Although judging by the increasing number of rumors claiming that the Korean tech giant is indeed looking to launch a foldable smartphone, we’re inclined to believe that Project V is in the cards.
On the other hand, the dual-screen mention brings up another theory. Russian device maker Yota has launched an atypical smartphone called the YotaPhone 2, which boasts an additional e-Ink display to show notifications.
Could it be that Samsung is embarking on a similar path? Hard to say at this moment, as our story is lacking a lot of details, but it might be a possibility.
Going back to foldable phones, LG also inadvertently revealed its plans to bring a foldable, rollable smartphone to market in 2017. A few months ago, the company showed an OLED panel with a diagonal of 18 inches that could be rolled into a cylinder to become a tube. So the technology to achieve such a display exists.