14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy X foldable smartphone is certainly “the talk of the town,” with many reports revealing details about the upcoming phones. Rumors have pinned the launch date sometime in the third or fourth quarter of this year.
But a new report by Business Korea reveals that the Galaxy X phone might actually be launched during the first quarter of next year. The report quoted unnamed sources which revealed that the Galaxy X foldable phone would be marketed during the first half of 2018. However, the company might present a Galaxy X prototype later this year.
The new estimated launch date takes into consideration the development and mass production plans for polyimide film, expected to be incorporated into the Galaxy X phone. The polyimide film is actually a key component in foldable phones, due to the fact that it’s made out of flexible material.
The 5-inch Galaxy X phone could fold out into a 7-inch tablet
The film has a high heat resistance and the capacity to remain stable across a wide range of temperatures. Kolon Industries will be mass producing the polyimide film in the first half of next year, after it completes the construction of its production facilities.
It takes about three months to mass produce and supply components, which means that a launch date for the Galaxy X in the first half of 2018 is quite likely.
Rumors say that the Galaxy X will be a 5-inch smartphone that can fold out and transform into a 7-inch or 18-centimeter tablet. Samsung is said to roll out 100,000 units of this device in order to examine the market’s reaction and decide whether it appeals to consumers or not.
But Samsung isn’t the only smartphone manufacturer to be working on this new technology. Apparently, Apple has also patented designs for such a phone and is competing against the South Korean giant to mass produce the first foldable phone on the market.