Samsung Demos Clamshell Folding Phone

Samsung Electronics has posted a video demonstration of a folding phone, but with an interesting twist.

In the below  video (also found here), the prototype handset folds out into a tablet sized device, much like the Galaxy Fold smartphone that was finally launched in September.

But the twist is that when this new prototype device is folded in half into a ‘phone’ size device, it can then be folded again in half, like the clamshell phone designs of the late 1990s and early 2000s – a concept successfully used by the hugely popular Motorola Razr phone back in the day, which could easily fit into pockets.

Clamshell design

The new concept was reportedly teased at the Samsung Developer Conference 2019 in the United States on Tuesday.

“The amazing thing with the foldable technology is that it can also become more compact like this,” Sally Hyesoon Jeong, head of Framework R&D Group at Samsung’s mobile communications, was quoted by Reuters as saying when she showed the mock-up on a screen behind her.

“Incredible, right?” Jeong said, followed by applause from the floor.

So essentially it seems this prototype can be folded vertically, and then in half horizontally.

“This brand new form factor we are now exploring not only easily fits in your pocket but it also changes the way you use the phone,” Jeong reportedly said.

“While we can’t comment on future products, Samsung is committed to pioneering the foldable category, including investing in the development of new form factors,” Samsung said in a statement to Reuters.

Folding wars

These folding phones are expensive (typically over $2,000), but Samsung and others such as Huawei are pushing ahead with the concept.

Last week Huawei made its folding 5G Mate X smartphone available for pre-order in China, ahead of its official launch on 15 November.

Huawei’s folding smartphone had originally been slated to launch in June this year, but that was pushed back until September, and then the launch was delayed yet again after Huawei told TechRadar at a press event in China that there is “no possibility” of the folding phone making its September launch date.

Huawei’s folding phone had first been shown off to the world in February this year at Mobile World Congress, just a week after the Galaxy Fold had been introduced.

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