South Korean giant Samsung Electronics is preparing to release a second model of a foldable smartphone.
It is expected that the release of a new flagship device capable of folding into a compact square size will take place in 2020.
The media reported that the company is currently developing a smartphone with a screen with a diagonal of 6.7 inches, which, when folded, will fit in a pocket. Samsung aims to make the new version of the smartphone more affordable and thinner than its predecessor. Officially, the company has not yet commented on the new development.
It is believed that the release date of the new device will depend on how successful the global release of the Galaxy Fold, scheduled for September 2019, will be. The first foldable smartphone was introduced in February. It was expected that its sales will start in April, but due to problems with the screen were delayed.
It is known that in the work on the new device, Samsung is working together with American designer Tom Brown. The collaboration shows the company's desire to present a new product as a luxurious and status thing for lovers of fashionable gadgets to a greater extent than for connoisseurs of technological innovations.
The new smartphone may have a selfie camera similar to the one used in the new Galaxy Note 10. On the outside, the device will be equipped with two cameras that will face the back when the phone is open, or the front when it is closed.
Analysts say Samsung's main goal is to create a clamshell phone that fits the current size of flagship smartphones, but folds in half like cell phones of yesteryear, such as the iconic Motorola Razr.
Foldable devices, which have long been in the development of leading technology companies, promise to be the fastest growing segment in the digital electronics market. China's Royole launched the world's first foldable smartphone in 2018 for $1,320, but a large number of screen problems were discovered right after the premiere. February 2019 Huawei introduced its Mate X model, but its sales were also delayed. Xiaomi and Oppo released teasers hinting at a possible release of their own developments.
Samsung phone sales have been declining lately under pressure from Huawei and other brands, and with the launch of a new product in the promising foldable segment, the company is looking to resume growth.
