Foldable phones had a breakthrough in 2019 when the first models from Samsung, Huawei and Motorola started to hit the market. With Samsung, Motorola and Google all rumored to be developing new flexible phones, another milestone could be coming soon.
Samsung’s next foldable phones could be just around the corner. The tech giant will hold its next Unpacked event on August 10, where it is rumored to launch the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4. This suggests that Samsung is following its previous launch model, which led to the announcement of the Galaxy Z Flip 5G in summer 2020 and the Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 in August 2021.
Sales of foldable phones are growing, but they are still not as ubiquitous as standard phones. The shipments of foldable smartphones are said to have increased by 264.3% in 2021 compared to 2020, according to International Data Corporation. But IDC estimates that only 7.1 million foldable phones shipped in all of 2021, compared to 362.4 million phones shipped in the fourth quarter of last year alone.
Here’s a look at the rumored foldable phones from Samsung, Motorola and others that are said to be in development.
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Last year’s Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Samsung’s phone-tablet hybrid is reportedly due for a facelift this year. Based on the leaks and rumors that have surfaced so far, it looks like the Galaxy Z Fold 4 will be a mildly improved version of the current Z Fold 3. It may have a sleeker design, thanks to a thinner hinge according to multiple leakers Ice Universe, as well as an improved camera on par with the Galaxy S22. Qualcomm’s recently announced Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 will power the device, the source also claimed.
But what I’m really hoping to see for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a lower price. The current version costs $1,800 without a trade-in, making it one of the most expensive phones on the market. But display analyst Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, speculates that Samsung’s next-generation foldable devices will get a price cut.
Samsung usually unveils its new foldable phones in August, so we expect to hear more soon. Check out our full story for more details on what to expect from the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Samsung’s current generation Galaxy Z Flip 3.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
Samsung is also expected to launch a new version of its Galaxy Z Flip foldable phone this year. Like the Z Fold 4 rumors, the Z Flip 4 leaks indicate that it will be more of a refresh of the current model than a dramatic change.
The Z Flip 4 is expected to get a larger roof screen, according to Young, the display analyst, and Yogesh Brar, a writer for the site 91mobiles, who claims to have obtained a full list of the Z Flip 4’s specifications. An upgrade like this would make it easier to verify the the time and notifications at a glance without unfolding the phone.
We won’t know for sure until Samsung announces a new version of the Z Flip, which will likely happen in August. Check out our full story to learn more about what we can see in the Z Flip 4.
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Samsung Display unveiled several foldable concepts at CES 2022, including the Flex S tablet shown here.
Samsung
New foldable Samsung
But perhaps what’s more exciting is the idea that Samsung could soon introduce an entirely new type of foldable phone. In a tweet that appears to have been deleted, Ice Universe previously said that Samsung could debut a third type of foldable device this year. Young also chimed in, saying that a Samsung slider phone was slated for production in 2022, but has been pushed back.
If Samsung plans to launch a new style foldable, it certainly has a lot of ideas to choose from. The Korean tech giant showed off several new concepts at CES 2022 in January, including phones with a triple-folding screen and a slide-out display. But Samsung hasn’t given any indication that it plans to release a new type of foldable anytime soon, so we’ll have to assume that its concepts are just ideas for now.
2020 Motorola Razr
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Motorola Razr 2022
It looks like Motorola is preparing its iconic Razr for a comeback. The company unveiled a new version of its Razr flip phone with dual cameras, a larger display and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor in a series of posts on Chinese social network Weibo, as spotted by GSM Arena. Previous rumors suggested that the next Razr could have a lower price, a new pill-shaped dual camera and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, according to leaks from well-known leakers Steve Hemmerstoffer (via CompareDial ) and Evan Blass ( published on 91Mobiles).
Ultimately, we liked the 2020 Razr for its refined design and improved battery life. But CNET reviewer Patrick Holland pointed out the phone’s $1,400 price tag at the time and other flaws, like poor low-light camera performance, kept it from being as good as it could have been. Hopefully, Motorola has addressed these concerns if the rumors of a third-generation Razr turn out to be real.
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Image from a Google patent application for a foldable phone.
Google Pixel Fold (or Pixel Notepad)
Google could be the next big tech company to jump into the foldable phone market. The company is reportedly working on a foldable Pixel that could have a similar shape to Oppo’s Find N and a price that’s lower than the Galaxy Z Fold 3, according to 9to5Google. The outlet also says the phone may be called the Pixel NotePad, but warns that its camera may be a step down from the Pixel 6’s.
Google has yet to say a word about plans to launch a foldable phone. We also didn’t see any hints of a foldable Pixel at Google I/O, the company’s annual developer conference where new technology concepts are sometimes shown off. But given Google’s recent focus on hardware — which it highlighted at I/O by announcing six new gadgets — it wouldn’t be surprising to see the company experiment with foldable devices.
If Google is indeed working on a foldable phone, it’s unclear when it will be released. Korean news site The Elec said Google had previously planned to announce the device in the fourth quarter of 2022, but the company reportedly pushed back the launch.
TCL’s foldable phone concept.
Lisa Eadicico/CNET
TCL foldable phone
TCL has abandoned plans to launch a flip-style foldable phone in 2021, but it’s not giving up just yet. The Chinese electronics maker unveiled two new concepts earlier this year for phones with removable and foldable screens. One concept has a screen that can bend in and out, while the other can fold and expand the size of its screen.
TCL did not say when it plans to release a foldable phone. But if and when it does, the company plans to keep the price at $700 or less, TCL previously told CNET. Achieving that price point will be a challenge, but hopefully it will motivate other phone makers to make their foldable phones just as affordable.
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A fictional concept depicting what a foldable iPhone could look like by YouTuber ConceptsiPhone.
ConceptsiPhone
Foldable iPhone
Apple is one of the few major smartphone makers that hasn’t released a foldable phone, and it’s unclear if it ever will. But rumors of an iPhone with a bendable screen have been circulating for years, fueling speculation. If Apple is working on a foldable iPhone, it likely won’t release the device for several years. Bloomberg’s Mark German wrote in his Power On newsletter in 2021 that a foldable iPhone is two to three years away. Display supply chain analyst Young also said in February that Apple’s foldable iPhone would be delayed until 2025, according to 9to5Mac.
Waiting a few years to release your first foldable might not be a bad idea. Foldable phones are expected to account for 1.8% of the total smartphone market by 2025, up from 0.5% in 2021, according to IDC. The market research firm also says that foldable phones are expected to take a third of the premium market for Android phones.
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