Just like every year, you can expect new Samsung flagship phones from the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note lines to drop in 2018. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ should launch at some point in March followed by the Galaxy Note 9 six months later. But unlike other years, 2018 may bring us a third new Samsung flagship, a device like nothing else the company is selling: The Galaxy X foldable phone.
Reports earlier this week said the phone might launch in December in a best-case scenario, with Samsung going on record saying that it’s too early to talk about a release date. Apparently, various issues need to be ironed out, including some problems related to software. But according to one report, that didn’t stop Samsung from demoing an “almost finished” Galaxy X behind closed doors at CES 2018.
The news comes from The Korea Herald which heard from industry sources that Samsung unveiled the foldable phone on January 10th during a private meeting with select clients. “Samsung Display said it has developed a 7.3-inch foldable panel with plans to start production later this year,” an industry source said.
A second source added, “Samsung attracted more clients to the private meeting compared to last year. The phone development seems to be almost finished, raising expectations for the phone launch.”
What’s interesting is that the report notes that the product is nearly finished. Even so, it’ll take a while to see the phone in stores. Production could start as early as November, the report says, which echoes a previous rumor from earlier this week. But Samsung could always delay it.
Samsung apparently unveiled both infolding and outfolding phones during the meeting. Infolding phones supposedly have a “more drastic curvature rate” compared to outfolding ones. But the latter is considered a more advanced next-generation technology due to increased durability.
Some of Samsung’s competitors also demoed similar devices at CES to gauge reaction among companies they work with. It’s unclear who these companies are, since no handset maker made any public announcements regarding foldable devices.
