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Huawei has finalized key aspects of the research and development of its foldable smartphone project and has already introduced the device to wireless network operators in South Korea, local media reported. Network operators would have been surprised by this development, because the industry was waiting for Huawei to present a prototype and not an argument for a finalized device. A Huawei official confirmed the decision but declined to comment on the company's first foldable handset with 5G capabilities.
Unofficially, the gadget would use a foldable display from the Chinese manufacturer of BOE panels. Once folded, the screen would be about five inches tall and up to eight inches tall when unfolded. These dimensions are larger than the expected size of the collapsible Samsung handset that the South Korean company teased earlier this month. The Galaxy branded device would have a length of 4.6 inches when folded and a 7.3 inch screen in the unfolded state. Huawei, Samsung's biggest rival alongside Apple, will officially announce its first foldable Android phone at the next iteration of the Mobile World Congress, which will start in late February in Barcelona, Spain, according to industry sources. The device should therefore be available for purchase by mid-2019, even though it will probably not be sold retail globally, yet again. as much as 5G will be one of its key selling points and that the next generation of wireless connectivity will not have a significant impact. coverage before 2020.
Context: South Korea is closely linked to the fact that the Far East is one of the largest economies in terms of 5G R & D and could be the first to achieve broad coverage. , according to many analysts' forecasts and recent statements from Seoul on its ambitions in wireless. This might not be enough for the local industry to accept the company's proposal, as the Korean government is currently questioning the idea of banning the company from participating in its 5G deployments for reasons of national security. The Shenzhen-based company, also the world's largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment, said there was no reason for its 5G equipment to be rejected by South Korea last month. Its maintenance has never given the local government any reason to believe that its infrastructure is a national security. risk. Nevertheless, with increasing pressure from Seoul allies such as the United States and Australia, who have already essentially banned Huawei from pursuing their 5G projects, the country could continue to do the same.
The current situation suggests that Huawei is unlikely to compete with other 5G handset manufacturers on an equal footing, at least in South Korea, which could largely explain why it is scaling back its efforts in the field of mobile phones. Innovation and also wishes to provide its results. first 5G handset in the form of a foldable device. This product strategy has already been defined by the current chairman of the company, Ken Hu, in September at this year's edition of the World Economic Forum. However, the official did not say whether the device would also be the company's first flexible device, which remains a possibility, since previous reports suggested that Huawei was looking for several foldable form factors and could eventually market them. more than one. The Chinese company has been working on a flexible Android smartphone for more than a year, according to previous industry insider reports. She even considered releasing a similar ZTE Axon M dual-display device at around the time the booklet gadget was launched in 2017, but finally decided not to offer it because he wanted to refine the concept before to offer it to consumers, said company officials. earlier this year.
Samsung is positioned to be Huawei's only rival in the foldable phone business at the start, as all other manufacturers would lag far behind the two companies in their efforts to market these devices. The Seoul-based technology group has already unveiled its "Infinity Flex" screen earlier this month and is expected to incorporate it into a consumer product to be announced in the first quarter of 2019, likely during the next iteration of MWC. Samsung and Huawei foldable gadgets are expected to cost well over $ 1,000 because of their high manufacturing costs. This will likely see both devices advertised exclusively for technology enthusiasts, with industry analysts remaining divided over the time frame in which such gadgets could fall within the usual price range.
Huawei's first collapsible device could look like Mate 20 X, a flagship Android product announced by the company last month, describing it as a phablet designed for high-end mobile gaming experiences. This theory is largely based on the fact that Richard Yu, head of consumer services at Huawei, recently said the release of the Mate 20 X was a crucial step on the way out of its first foldable device. The handset in question is one of the biggest ever, with a 7.2-inch display. The Mate 20 X connection is not the only recent occasion where foldable handsets were linked to mobile gaming. Several months ago, industry experts announced that Samsung would also introduce its first flexible Android smartphone to players.
Impact: Huawei's latest mobile innovation efforts may not lead to the world's first foldable handset, but rather to the world's first flexible phone with 5G capabilities. Even though Samsung is well positioned to be the industry pioneer, Huawei may well be using its more value-oriented device, or at least one device that will make it beat on the connectivity front. Although it is unlikely that collapsible handsets will achieve general success in the immediate future, the industry's growing focus on these gadgets indicates that the flexible form factor will not come soon but that it will be here to stay. The only question that remains is how long manufacturers will be able to deliver foldable handsets – Android or not – at a relatively affordable price.
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