Samsung has been working on foldable smartphones since several years. During a press conference on Tuesday to address the arrival of Galaxy Note 8 in India, Samsung Mobile’s president, DJ Koh has confirmed that the company would be debuting its first foldable smartphone in 2018.
Foldable Galaxy Note Phone
According to Koh, there are some obstacles that Samsung needs to resolve in order to release its foldable smartphone. However, the company has set a goal of debuting the highly anticipated foldable smartphone in next year. The launch will only happen after all the pending issues with the smartphone are dealt with. Koh did not reveal any information on the problems that they are facing with it.
Analysts have revealed that it will take some time to mass produce a foldable phone with thin design and topnotch features. Since the time company showcased a flexible display prototype named Youm in 2013, tech enthusiasts are eagerly to hear more information on the first foldable phone from Samsung. In the past two or three years, the rumor mill have claimed that the South Korean firm will be showcasing its foldable phone soon.
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In February this year, Samsung had trademarked the Galaxy X moniker. Speculations have it that the Galaxy X could be the upcoming foldable smartphone from Samsung. Some rumors have revealed that the South Korean company is testing a foldable phone that features two AMOLED screens that are connected with each other by means of a hinge with a fold-out mechanism. The Galaxy X’s fold-out mechanism may possibly allow users to use it like a tablet by unfolding it. In July this year, the Galaxy X phone had received Bluetooth SIG certification which indicates that the launch of the Galaxy X is getting close.
Since Samsung is now pegged to introduce the Galaxy X foldable phone under Note branding, the phablet is likely to debut in the second half of 2018.
Bixby AI Speaker
DJ Koh has also revealed that Samsung is working Harman to build a speaker system enabled with Bixby artificial intelligence. User can speak to the speaker to play music or carry some tasks. Leading brands like Amazon and Google have already launched voice-assistant enabled speakers in the market. Apple’s HomePod is also expected to hit the market by the end of this year. However, there is no confirmation on when Samsung will be unveiling the voice-controlled speaker.
Galaxy Note 8 Market Response
As far as Galaxy Note 8’s market response is concerned, Koh states that even though it is an expensive Note series phone, the demand for the phablet has been phenomenal during its pre-orders. By Friday, 650,000 units of Galaxy Note 8 have been pre-ordered.
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