Seven folding smartphones to watch for 2019

Foldable smartphones are the next step on the market and open up a world of possibilities in terms of new formats and content consumption. Flexible display technology has been improved in recent years and their application will now depend on the creativity of the manufacturers. Screens that can be rolled up and stretched to foldable screens in different ways, which folding mobile phones are already available on the market and which ones can we expect to see in 2019?

Stagnation of smartphone sales worldwide, manufacturers must innovate to remain competitive in the market. On one side, Apple does not offer to launch devices with flexible displays, but Google's partner manufacturers see an excellent opportunity to innovate in the industry.

By the way, Google has optimized for us the Android operating system.

The year 2018 is over with many promises in this sense, we had the official launch of at least one collapsible smartphone model by the Chinese Royole and the announcement of the Samsung prototype. The industry's expectations are now turning to the Mobile World Congress 2019 one of the most important technology shows in Europe, which promises to be the theater of the Announces mobile phones in the first quarter of the year.

you will get a list of folding smartphones to watch in 2019.

Robole FlexPai

During CES 2019, we had the chance to test the FlexPai, the first hybrid of smartphones and folding screen tablets , manufactured by Royole company. However, our experience with the device was not very positive. The problem is that the screen is flexible but does not bend completely.

In tablet mode, the FlexPai has an AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920×1440 that can be equal to a ratio of 4: 3. When folded, it splits into a 16: 9 format and a format 18: 9. Among the other features of the device are 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of internal storage and Android 9. Pie modified by the user interface Water OS Royole.

Given our FlexPai test, it is clear that the intention of the manufacturer was to be the first to announce a foldable smartphone, but the quality of the device and its features left something to be desired.

Incidentally, we also made a video with FlexPai in operation.

Samsung Galaxy F

In November 2018, in the United States, Samsung introduced its first smartphone prototype with an Infinity Flex display. . Since then, the device is named Galaxy F and its launch is scheduled for February 20, alongside the announcement of the new Galaxy S10 series.

Galaxy Flexible has two screens: a normal screen and an external screen. A foldable flap that opens like a book and lets you use the device as it 's been a tablet. Thus, off, the prototype has a 4.6-inch screen, with a resolution of 1960 x 840 pixels and can be used as a smartphone. Open, the handset works like a 7.3-inch tablet with a resolution of 2152 x 1536 pixels.

Xiaomi's Mi Dual Flex or Mi MIX Flex

Xiaomi's collapsible smartphone leak started at the end of 2018 and this week the company's president and co-founder, Lin Bin, has confirmed rumors that the company would work on a flexible screen smartphone. The executive has released a video in which we see the device in all its splendor, first in a larger format, like a tablet, and once folded, we have a smartphone.

Unlike the models of Royole and Samsung, Xiaomi flexible mobile fold on both sides. During the demonstration, Mi Dual Flex introduced a very responsive software because the MIUI user interface is automatically resized to be used only in the middle of the screen.

It is still a prototype, which we expect to see presented at the CMM 2019. However, Lin Bin said that Xiaomi will "consider the production of mbad "than there is a response from consumers. Whether it's a business marketing campaign or not, only time will tell.

Huawei's Mate Flex

Huawei has already confirmed its intention to announce a foldable smartphone at the Mobile World Congress 2019 in February. In addition to the flexible screen, the device will feature 5G technology and will be marketed on a large scale this year.

We do not know much about what to expect from this flexible phone, but I might call it Huawei mate Flex.

Motorola RAZR

Rumors indicate that Motorola is developing a collapsible smartphone under the Motorola RAZR brand. The information has gained momentum with the discovery of a patent registered last December, in which we can see the images of a device with a flexible screen.

The hope of the industry is that Motorola sees the clbadic RAZR V3, the manufacturer's symbol, but now with folding screen instead of the popular flip format. In this way, the small screen and the physical numeric keypad should be changed to a vertically elongated screen, which folds when the phone is closed.

It would act from a third approach, but it does not necessarily increase. the size of the screen to use the device as tablet.

The LG LG Flex

can present a completely different concept of collapsible smartphone at the end of the year. Having put on the market a TV with a flexible screen of 65 inches, very thin and can be rolled up and stored in a base, all eyes are on the manufacturer for the launch of a mobile phone. with roll-up screen

According to a LG patent registration, the company will use the same roll-up television technology in its foldable smartphones. The images from the registration document of the new LG patent show that the company will use its foldable OLED display to create a device that can stay between a mobile phone and a tablet.

As can be seen in the image above. , the flexible screen would be housed on both sides of the device, wound. When the ends of the device are separated, the screen is unrolled.

LG has not confirmed whether or not it would offer a foldable smartphone during the MWC, but we can certainly expect good news from the manufacturer in this regard as early as 2019.

OPPO [19659007] The Chinese company Oppo can present a folding smartphone prototype at the MWC. In addition to the invitation to the February 23 event in Barcelona to suggest that we can see a folding machine, the company's product manager, Chuck Wang, had already mentioned this possibility before.

According to the latest rumors. , Samsung allegedly gave Oppo and Xiaomi permission to use their "Infinity Flex Display" display technology.

Foldable smartphones are the next big deal?

It is still difficult to say if folding smartphones really represent the new in terms of mobile technology. The technology is still very new and expensive, but over time, the industry will adapt the flexible displays to those we have on the market today.

user requirements. For the moment, the important thing is to have format options and the manufacturer who understands your audience better tends to gain space faster. of course, the media consumption. And all of this leads to higher energy consumption, which should be the next hurdle to the development of collapsible smartphones.

So you're looking forward to having a foldable smartphone, do you think this trend will not have a future?