Foldable

The next generation of Samsung's flexible premium phablet is likely to be called the Galaxy Z Fold3. The leaker Ben Geskin has produced new images to show how this device might look according to the latest leaks and rumors. They point to it having rear cameras like those of the Galaxy S21 Ultra, although the rest is much unchanged compared to 2020.

Samsung's Display division recently held its earnings call for the last quarter of 2020 (4Q2020), which apparently involved profits that grew nearly 800% year-on-year and revenues equivalent to about US$8.9 billion. It also announced that it would indeed get into emerging panel types, including rollable ones, so as to stay competitive in 2021 and beyond.

The specifications of Samsung's next folding smartphone have been finalised, so claim leakers from South Korea. Apparently, a launch date by May, or a release alongside the Galaxy Z Fold3 this summer, is likely.

Shortly after the CES, a Lenovo manager has shared some interesting information in an interview. Especially interesting: In the future, Lenovo ThinkPad laptops will be equipped with better webcams.

The betas for Android's next major update may not be too far away at this point. This version is the one now rumored to implement a feature in which a phone can respond to double-taps on its rear panel to open shortcuts. Android 12 is also said to add App Pairs, a new form of split-screen mode, as well as more effective third-party app-market access.

Specs and price predictions for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable smartphone have started appearing on social media just as well-known tech commenters have been ringing the death knell for the Samsung Galaxy Note series. One analyst has stated there may be a Galaxy Note 20 FE while a tipster believes rollables will take over from the Note in 2022.

Samsung is currently expected to launch up to 4 new foldable devices this year, 1 of which will be a next-gen Galaxy Z Flip. Fresh renders of this clamshell phone have popped up with the same main camera module as the Galaxy S21 or S21+. Should this rumor be correct, it could launch with triple rear cameras and more space for a front-facing display.

LG is considering exiting the smartphone business despite teasing new devices as recently as CES 2021 last week. The company’s CEO Kwon Bong-seok has informed staff that all options are currently on the table including exiting the market, a potential sale or downsizing.

One week after releasing the update for the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung is bringing the Android 11-based One UI 3.0 software update to its predecessor as well. The Samsung Galaxy Fold is receiving the new firmware already in France and the UAE (LTE version), as well as Switzerland and the UK (5G version).

Live images of a Xiaomi foldable smartphone have been shared online, indicating that the Chinese company seems to be almost ready to launch its first commercial foldable phone. The Xiaomi foldable device, which is clearly operating on MIUI 12, has a very noticeable crease running down the middle that will hopefully be less egregious in the final retail model.

The LG Rollable is real, and it will be coming to market this year, an LG spokesperson has confirmed. LG will source BOE displays for its first rollable smartphone, but the so-called LG Rollable may retail for US$500 more than a Galaxy Z Fold2.

Qualcomm has introduced its second-generation 3D Sonic Sensor under-display fingerprint reader. The new scanner offers a 77 percent larger fingerprint reader area and is 50 percent faster than its first-gen scanner which featured in Samsung’s Galaxy S20 and Note20 models.

LG has held its CES 2021 event, during which it teased its forthcoming Rollable smartphone. The South Korean company first hinted at the device last year after announcing the LG Wing, but it has now shown how its folding mechanism in action. The LG Rollable appears to have a motorised mechanism, but many other details remain unknown at this stage.

TCL's display-development subsidiary CSOT has prepared 2 of its flexible prototypes that can function when paired to rollers for display at CES 2021. One is the extendable AMOLED panel that may have been seen as part of a concept smartphone before. The other is a 17-inch piece of OLED that may show what the OEM can offer the makers of devices such as transparent TVs.

Foxconn is said to have successfully completed durability testing for two different Apple iPhone foldable prototypes. According to Taiwanese supply chain rag, Money UDN, the two prototypes are said to resemble the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip respectively in design approach.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5G is Samsung's refreshed premium clamshell foldable. It is also one of the latest devices to start to see the One UI firmware upgrade. Then again, this new OTA is reportedly only pushed to global units sold in Switzerland as yet. However, more widespread availability for others with this cutting-edge phone should follow shortly.

There are some indications that certain OEMs might get to their first rollable phone release in 2021. However, according to a new leak, Samsung will not be one of them. Then again, the same new tip points to a "triple-folding" tablet from the OEM for next year, as well as its first transparent display phone.

Xiaomi is rumored to be working on both a new foldable smartphone and tablet, which could make appearances in 2021. A potential Mi Pad 5 tablet would be a welcome addition to the stagnating Xiaomi Mi Pad range, whereas the “Cetus” or “Mi Fold” smartphone will apparently feature a screen with a high refresh rate.

Korean rag ETNews is reporting that Samsung has four foldable models coming in 2021. The rumor solidifies rumors that Samsung is planning to drop the Note model from its line next year in order to shift focus to its flexible screened devices.

More details have started to surface about LG’s upcoming high-end smartphones for 2021. The rollable will take a leaf out of Oppo’s playbook while the flagship handset is going to go toe-to-toe with Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S21 in more ways than one.

Oppo has used the 4th China International Industrial Design Expo (CIDDE) to showcase several new concept devices. Designed in collaboration with famed Japanese design studio Nendo, the concepts include what it calls a “slide-phone” that can be folded into different sizes and “music-link”, which is described as a collection of devices centered around a pair of TWS earphones.

Several prominent mobile device OEMs have been rumored to enter the foldables market fairly soon. Now, a new tip from a display-focused leaker indicates that pretty much all of them will do so by the second half of 2021 (2H2021). The devices in question might have to compete with Samsung's more familiar offerings, including a possible affordable Galaxy Z Flip variant.

A patent filed by Xiaomi has revealed a new rollable phone that is fitted with a retractable display. The user can operate the pull-out screen in the so-called Xiaomi Mi Alpha R to turn the smartphone into a tablet-like device. The patented smartphone borrows heavily from the design of the Mi Mix Alpha but with the addition of a rollable display.

LG has reportedly registered a new device with a South Korean telecoms authority that, according to a Twitter-based leaker, is its first-gen rollable phone. Should this be the case, the OEM may be ready to release this new form-factor in 2021. It might prove a worthy alternative to phones such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 on its launch.

Samsung has launched foldable smartphones that bend into clamshell or book shapes to date. However, its latest patents suggest that these almost-familiar form-factors are to become obsolete quite soon. They hint at new kinds of Galaxy Z Folds and Z Flips with at least 2 hinges each.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has announced that the upcoming 100% virtual version of its flagship conference is now taking registrations. They include a special reduced price from now until January 4, 2021. The actual digital show itself starts on the 11th of that month.

The Galaxy Z Fold2 is Samsung's second-gen foldable flagship mobile device that launched for close to US$2,000. Now, a well-regarded leaker asserts that this will not change much with its next generation in 2021. This is particularly off-putting as its series is reportedly intended to replace the Galaxy Notes in the fullness of time.

Cyber Monday sales are live and promise some of the best discounts of the year. We list the 10 best laptop deals you can snag right now that promise a great feature set and performance to boot, for a steal.

Samsung Display has given us a glimpse into what it has in mind for future rollable smartphones. One design has a rollable OLED screen that wraps itself around a central cylinder. The other one builds upon the existing Galaxy Fold series' design by adding another hinge.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold has received its first reviews, a full eighteen months after the company showcased a prototype. However, early tests have highlighted performance issues with its Intel Lakefield processor and the limitations of its foldable form factor. The ThinkPad X1 Fold starts at US$2,499.

The Surface Duo had outdated internals when it arrived earlier this year, but Microsoft will take that even further with a European launch of the device. Reputedly scheduled for Q2 2021, it seems that Microsoft is content with releasing a device with the Snapdragon 855, despite the likelihood of Snapdragon 875 devices already being on the market by then.

LG has enabled a much-needed feature on the Wing, which should please fans of the company's dual-screen device. Now, it is possible to switch apps between the main and secondary screens with a three-finger swipe. The latest update for the Wing has added some other features too, albeit only for devices running South Korean firmware, for the time being.

The successor to the Mate Xs has reared its head again, this time at the TENAA. Two models have been certified with the TENAA, both with dual-SIM connectivity and 66 W fast-charging. The Mate X2 has been listed as a 5G device too, suggesting that it will have Huawei's Kirin 9000 chipset.

A new Xiaomi smartphone patent has been shared depicting a foldable device that utilizes a pop-up solution for the front-facing camera. This allows for a full-screen tablet mode that is left unblemished by the presence of a selfie camera. It has often been rumored that Xiaomi could introduce a foldable smartphone into the innovative Mi Mix range.

OPPO teased a new kind of phone at its latest developer conference: one with an extending, rollable OLED display. This device was reportedly showcased by an engineer from this OEM after the show. This employee asserts that the X 2021 is rated to withstand 5 years of active use, during which thousands of its new special move can be executed.

The under-display sensor may come to replace the punch-hole in smartphones as time goes on. A new report by a Korean media outlet asserts that Samsung has them in the works for 2021; however, they will only feature in the OEM's highest-end foldable device. Meanwhile, the same company is now said to also have affordable versions of the Galaxy Z Flip in development.

Oppo has unveiled its Oppo X 2021 rollable OLED display smartphone. The concept device takes a different approach to the smartphone-tablet hybrid foldable OLED designs we have seen from Huawei and Samsung. The end result, however, is similar as it delivers a device that is both a smartphone and tablet in one.

Samsung’s Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong has been spotted with a previously unseen Samsung smartphone. It is speculated that the device is a prototype of the Korean giant’s forthcoming rollable smartphone. Its appearance suggests an official launch for sometime in 2021.

Huawei might be doing it tough with a shortage of components due to US sanctions, but it is still pushing ahead with the last of its major 2020 releases. Fresh certification for the Mate X2 66 W charging system in China suggests that it continues to be on track for release.

Xiaomi is reportedly working hard on 200 W and above fast charging, foldability, 2K screens, and the under-display selfie camera. There has been speculation that some of these features may end up being incorporated into a Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro smartphone, while work on a Mi Mix 4/Mi Mix 2021 is apparently on hold for the foreseeable future.

Samsung has released a teaser for the Galaxy W21 5G, its next foldable smartphone. To be released on November 4, the Galaxy W21 5G has already been spotted at the TENAA, confirming many details and the design of the upcoming handset. The Galaxy W21 5G will be available exclusively in China.

The display-maker TCL held a 2020 Display Technology Conference earlier in October 2020. This Chinese event reportedly showcased this OEM's rollable phone prototype. Now, a video purporting to contain the footage has been posted to YouTube. It appears to show the groundbreaking device with a fully-functional extendible screen.

Microsoft’s Surface Duo is already starting to see some relatively steep price cuts of up to US$200. Naturally, early adopters aren’t happy and Microsoft isn’t doing a lot to appease customers other than pointing then to the 60-day return policy.

Samsung could be finally bringing S-Pen support to its Galaxy Z Fold line with next year’s model. According to a new report, the Galaxy Z Fold3 will add the long awaited feature thanks to the introduction of thicker foldable glass and some other tweaks.

A newly unearthed Xiaomi patent depicts an intriguing device with a design that would fit well with a future Mi Mix 4 (or Mi Mix 2021) thanks to a combination of foldable technology and a slider mechanism. It appears Xiaomi is pushing ahead with work on producing a foldable smartphone that will likely feature an external secondary display.

The Samsung Galaxy ZFold 2 5G costs an awful lot money, but it is clearly better than its predecessor. Samsung has made a host of changes for this year's model, which our review reveals.

Xiaomi has just been granted a patent for a tablet-like device that folds down the middle to form a much thinner phone-like form with an additional display on its front. In other words, it looks and seems to function much like Samsung's first-gen premium foldable phone. Therefore, the Chinese OEM might be on the brink of moving into this category itself.

LG has finally released its Signature OLED R rollable television. The device uses a 65-inch flexible OLED panel that can roll out of sight into its base, which is designed to look like a piece of furniture when not in use. It also hints at the potential for LG to transfer the same display technology into a future smartphone-tablet hybrid.

BOE is the largest supplier of display panels (AMOLED included) in China. A new report indicates that it now intends to compete even further with the likes of Samsung by making its own ultra-thin glass (UTG) as well. This material is the most effective existing solution to protect foldable displays, and as such may become more and more important in the future.

The Galaxy W20 was an upgraded version of the already-flagship-grade Samsung Galaxy Fold sold in China. Now, according to a new registration issued by TENAA, its next generation might offer more of the same. The alleged certification shows a device that looks just like the Z Fold2 but with a different, fancier rear panel.