Lenovo's foldable Thinkpad X1 notebook expected to launch by Q2 2020

Lenovo first presented it Thinkpad X1 foldable laptop prototype this May, but there was no indication of it being launching any time soon. Foldable devices are barely a thing right now, and Smamsung experienced the perils of the emerging flexible display technology first hand with postponed launches and all that followed. Even with the “improved” Galaxy Fold that was finally launched earlier this month, the technology just does not feel like it is ready for mass production.
 
Consumers nowadays have a higher quality standard in mind when it comes to devices that cost almost US$2,000, so Lenovo is taking some more time to perfect the foldable laptop. No too much time, though, as the company recently announced that it intends to launch the Thinkpad X1 before the highly anticipated Surface Duo from Microsoft.
 
This bit of information was revealed at the Canalys Channels Forum in Barcelona, where Lenovo once again showcased the Thinkpad X1. The 13.3-inch device sporting a 2K flexible OLED display developed in collaboration with LG “will start shipping probably in Q2 next year,” if we are to believe chief operating officer at Lenovo Gianfrano Lanci. That would put it a few months ahead of Microsoft’s Surface Duo that is scheduled to launch in Q3 2020. Lanci also mentioned that “hardware is ready but we still need to fix certain things from a software point of view and that doesn't depend 100 per cent on us.” Apparently Lenovo is waiting on Microsoft to finalize the Windows 10X OS specifically designed for dual-screen devices.
 
As with any emerging technology and pioneering devices, the Thinkpad X1 foldable will most likely have a prohibitive price and will at the same time come with some glaring downsides that will eventually have to be corrected in later iterations.