Samsung Teases Foldable Galaxy Smartphone: Galaxy F?
by Anton Shilov on February 1, 2019 4:35 PM EST
Samsung Vietnam has accidentally published (and subsequently removed) a brand advertisement video that shows a glimpse at the company’s existing, conceptual, and presumably upcoming products. Among other things, the footage depicts the company’s rumored foldable Galaxy smartphone (often quoted as 'Galaxy F', or 'Galaxy X') as well as bezel-less Galaxy tablet. Obviously, there is no word about release dates, but the video shows the direction that Samsung wants to take.
It has been no secret that large flexible displays are coming to devices, with the Royole FlexPai being debuted last year as the first smartphone with a flexible display. Samsung’s Galaxy Foldable smartphone, shown at the 23-second mark, apparently opens like a book with a regular display on the outside but a flexible display on the inside. The ‘external’ display features what looks like a regular Android home screen as well as a larger ‘internal’ display. Considering the fact that we are presumably dealing with a contemporary Android home screen, this might mean that Samsung’s actual foldable smartphone is now a close-to-market device.
Another concept smartphone is demonstrated at the 30-second mark. This one features very thin bezels and is outfitted with a medical ultrasound device connected to the USB port. Yet another intriguing mobile device that Samsung shows in its video is a bezel-less tablet used by a tattoo artist.
Keeping in mind capabilities of the AMOLED technology, creating a bezel-less tablet is possible even today now that Samsung mass-produces 15.6-inch AMOLED displays for premium notebooks. Of course, it remains to be seen how convenient it will be to use a tablet without bezels at all, but from a concept point of view, this is the Holy Grail both for tablets and smartphones.
Other interesting conceptual devices that Samsung demonstrates in the video are a tattooing robot controlled by the artist that is painting a tattoo on a lady’s back as well as a fashion designer that dresses a virtual mannequin on a large screen using gestures.
The video ends up with the hashtag #DoWhatYouCant, which might be Samsung’s motto for the upcoming Unpacked launch event on February 20, as well as promotional material at MWC later this month.
Samsung Vietnam has already removed the ad, yet it stayed online long time for everyone to repost it.
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Source: Slashleaks YouTube (via Tom’s Guide)
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Lolimaster - Sunday, February 3, 2019 - link
Why? At almost 1cm is basically fits comfortably in the inner folds of your fingers.Gunbuster - Monday, February 4, 2019 - link
So how have they solved the problem with having a screen that can flex and bend, but not get tons of scratches and look like used up garbage inside of 6 months?piroroadkill - Tuesday, February 5, 2019 - link
But how are they going to sell you a new one?melgross - Monday, February 4, 2019 - link
So a top of the line Galaxy S now costs $1,000 and up, with one screen. This will have the equivalent of 3 screens. What SoC is going to drive all these screens? The pic shows all 3 on at once. How much battery is required to power this thing?And finally, what is it going to cost? Will Samsung decide to lose a lot of money on each sale just to sell some so that it can announce that it was a success, or will it sell for what the technology requires? And how much is that? $2,500 seems about right, plus or minus a couple of hundred.
I’m not even talking about the scratch problem others have mentioned. We went over that before. There is no way that any plastic that Samsung has claimed to have invented will be as scratch resistant as glass.
nikon133 - Wednesday, February 6, 2019 - link
Well... most expensive Samsung phone here in NZ is currently Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Smartphone 512GB, and it goes for NZ$1599.The most expensive smartphone overall is Apple iPhone XS Max 512GB, and it retails for NZ$2799.
Both prices are for phones only, no plans attached (and no discounts based on plans).
If Samsung can add fordable screen and extra battery and stay within that NZ$1200 difference, that would do, I think. Considering that you can purchase decent phone like LG G7 ThinQ for some NZ$820, I'm pretty sure they can increase battery and add 2nd screen for less than NZ$1200.
RE the screens - I cannot see much point in having both active at the same time. Doesn't seem practical to use screens on opposite side of the phone at the same time. Also, larger screen can have lower DPI - being bigger, people will keep it a bit further from eyes.
Galaxy Note 9 has 516dpi... large foldable screen could drop down to 400dpi, even 300dpi... and still look very sharp for intended usage scenario, without having that many more pixels than small screen... or even not more pixels at all. I mean, both Surface Pro 6 and iPad Pro are somewhere between 260 and 270dpi and not many will argue that screens are not more than adequately sharp.
SoC? Snapdragon 855 or whatever new Samsung has developed in-house. If my screen theory holds water, even Snapdragon 845 could handle either screen, as long as it is one screen at the time. Above mentioned LG G7 has resolution of 1,440 x 3,120 pixels (564ppi) and works fine with Snapdragon 845...
Extra volume would make larger battery no problem. Note 9 has 4000mAh, they could squeze 6 - 8000mAh into a phone that doubles internal volume.
I'd be more worried about limits of that screen's foldability. Unless they are 2 border-less screens that perfectly fit when phone is opened, there must be a limit how many times can the screen be folded/unfolded before something starts giving up. Plus, can that screen still be treated with proper scratch protection, and yet remain foldable. How sharp can it fold? Is it going to be something like Surface Book hinge, or actual sharp-angle-fold?