Rumors are swirling about Sony’s exciting new project, as reports suggest the tech giant is working on a small foldable-screen phone, potentially reviving its beloved Compact series. With no flagship releases catering to smaller sizes since 2018, Sony seems poised to make a big splash in the mobile market once again.

Unfolding Sony’s New Venture: A Clamshell Foldable Phone on the Horizon?

According to Japanese media Sumahodigest, Sony’s foldable device will bear resemblance to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip4, but without an external screen. This design choice indicates Sony’s commitment to a sleek and compact form factor. If the reports hold true, Sony might capitalize on the current trend towards foldable displays, catching up with mainstream brands like Google and Samsung who have already ventured into the foldable phone market.

Interestingly, some insiders speculate that Sony’s foldable phone could be named the Xperia Fold, hinting at a potential focus on gaming capabilities. With the immense popularity of mobile gaming, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Sony leverage its expertise in the gaming industry to create a device optimized for an immersive gaming experience.

While details about the release date remain scarce, tech enthusiasts eagerly await further updates on Sony’s foldable screen phone. The potential combination of a compact design, foldable display technology, and gaming prowess could make this device a big hit in the mobile industry.

As we await confirmation from Sony and more concrete information, it’s clear that the tech landscape is evolving, and Sony’s rumored entry into the foldable phone market promises to shake things up. Currently, only Apple and Sony have not released any foldable screen products among the mainstream phone brands. Stay tuned for further developments on this exciting venture from Sony, a brand renowned for pushing boundaries and delivering innovative products.

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Today on the brand’s official Weibo account, Huawei had announced that the company will be revealing a new “Gray Leather” colour option for its wildly popular clamshell foldable flagship – the Huawei P50 Pocket. The new colour option will be officially launched next week on July 4th at the brand’s Huawei Nova 10 series launch event in China, alongside the company’s AITO M7 electric vehicle series.

The Huawei P50 Pocket was released in December 2021 last year with three premium colour options: Obsidian Black, Crystal White and a special edition Glit Gold colourway. The new “Gray Leather” exterior is speculated to have better grip and better drop resistance than its glass counterpart, and surprisingly, the Huawei P50 Pocket will be the first clamshell foldable to feature a leather folding exterior in the smartphone world.

However, the first brand to feature a foldable with a leather exterior was actually Vivo, with their critically acclaimed Vivo X Fold. The Vivo X Fold is an intricately designed premium foldable smartphone that features a premium leather exterior blended with comfortable ergonomics, and a flagship-grade triple camera setup co-engineered with globally renowned photography expert – Zeiss.

The Vivo X Fold is available in two colour options: Blue and Black with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 storage and 512GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage. For an immersive multimedia experience, the foldable phone features an 8.03-inch 120Hz E5 LTPO AMOLED inner display and a 6.53-inch E5 AMOLED outer display. 

Powering the device is the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, and alongside the 4600mAh battery, the Vivo X Fold supports 66W fast charging and 50W fast wireless charging. The foldable flagship comes with a rear quad camera setup with a 50MP main camera, 48MP ultra-wide sensor, 12MP portrait telephoto lens and 5MP periscope telephoto lens. The camera comes with Zeiss optics and Zeiss T* lens coating that optimize light efficiency during photography.

The Vivo X Fold is available for purchase on Giztop from US$1799 onwards, and for interested buyers, take note that this is a Chinese edition phone, but it comes with pre-installed Google Mobile Services and Google Play Store that were sideloaded.

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Last year, after years of development, OPPO finally launched its first foldable smartphone in the Chinese market, dubbed OPPO Find N. The device went on sale a few days after its announcement for the price of 7,699 yuan (~$1,164).

A new report coming from China now claims that OPPO is gearing up to launch another foldable smartphone, but it will have a clamshell folding design this time.

It appears that OPPO is following the same strategy as Samsung which first launched the book-style folding phones in the form of the Galaxy Z Fold lineup and then a relatively cheaper clamshell foldable smartphone in the form of the Galaxy Z Flip lineup.

There are some other brands that have launched clamshell foldable smartphones. Huawei recently launched a similar foldable smartphone, dubbed Huawei P50 Pocket. Motorola debuted in this space with the Moto Razr smartphone.

As per the reports, the upcoming foldable smartphone from OPPO is more affordable than its competitors in the Chinese market. It is rumored to go on sale in China for around 5,000 yuan, which is about $755. For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is sold in China for 7,399 yuan (~$1,118).

The phone’s specifications are not yet known apart from the chipset, which is said to be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ SoC. In that case, we expect the phone to get launched in the third or fourth quarter of this year.

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Huawei was among the first companies to launch a foldable smartphone in the market when it debuted two such devices in the market — Huawei Mate X and Mate Xs. This year, in February, the company launched the Mate X2 smartphone with an inward folding design, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series.

Now, the company is working on another foldable smartphone which is supposedly featuring a clamshell design, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip lineup. But this time, the company is charging the hinge design for the smartphone.

As per the report coming from Weibo, Huawei will be using a next-generation hinge from Zhaoli Technology which is being developed for quite some time now. The company has said that a smartphone manufacturer will be using this new hinge and it seems that Huawei is the only brand that makes sense for this development.

The new hinge is said to be less complicated when compared to the ones already used by Huawei. But the hinge is also more reliable than the ones used in the past and the added bonus is that because of fewer parts, it is also less expensive.

Some reports indicate that the upcoming clamshell foldable smartphone could be named Huawei Mate V but the name has not been confirmed yet. It is expected to get launched soon and could come powered by the Kirin 9000 chipset. Just like recent Huawei phones, it is likely to be a 4G-only model because of the US-imposed sanctions on the company.

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Huawei was one of the first manufacturers to announce a commercially available foldable smartphone. Earlier this year, it launched its third foldable phone, the Mate X2, which dropped the outward folding design of its predecessors for the inward folding design made popular by the Galaxy Fold series. A new leak says Huawei has another foldable set for a launch next quarter and it will launch as the Mate V.

If all was well in Huawei-land, the Mate 50 series should be the flagship launching next quarter but that won’t be happening as a result of its struggling mobile phone business which has taken a big hit due to the U.S. ban. Its P-series flagship for this year which should have been unveiled in the first quarter of the year wasn’t announced until late July. Even the base model Huawei P50 just became available for purchase this month.

Mate V, Q4 https://t.co/trGZgeilRk

— Teme (特米) (@RODENT950) September 29, 2021

While the Mate 50 series won’t launch this year, the reliable leaker who goes by @RODENT950 on Twitter has revealed that the manufacturer will announce a new foldable smartphone called the Mate V next quarter. The leaker had initially teased the arrival of the foldable about a month ago.

The specifications of the Mate V as well as details of its design are currently unknown. Earlier, it was reported that Huawei is working on a foldable phone with a clamshell design similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3. However, there is no link connecting this clamshell foldable to the Mate V expected to launch next quarter. Time will tell if they are one and the same or two different devices. Regardless, one more foldable phone from Huawei this year is good news, not only for Huawei fans but for the foldable smartphone market at large.

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Apple is apparently working on a foldable iPhone that will feature a clamshell design. This foldable device would also be relatively affordable to the current offerings from rival vendors, but is not launching anytime soon.

According to a WCCFTech report, a tipster has suggested that the Cupertino based giant might have settled on a Galaxy Z Flip-like design for its upcoming foldable iPhone. Furthermore, this foldable phone will also be more affordable that the competing rivals in the same market. But unfortunately, this foldable iPhone will not be launching anytime soon. As per YouTuber Jon Prosser’s channel, Front Page Tech, the company is working on what appears to be a flip phone-like iPhone model.

In other words, it won’t be similar to a Galaxy Z Fold 2, rather, it would be geared towards reducing its overall size when folded. This would also enable it to be more portable as well. Previously, Prosser had stated that Apple is developing two foldable iPhones, with both variants in early stages of development. Jon further added that the company would be using a Ceramic Shield glass will be chemically treated for the device, which will enable it to handle a significant level of tolerance when it is folded or unfolded.

Notably, the YouTuber claimed that the foldable iPhone will cost less than rival offerings from the competition. Although, the clamshell designed iPhone will not arrive before 2023. Additionally, this launch date could potentially be pushed back further if the company faced development hurdles. Keep in mind, it isn’t necessary that Apple might be offering a cheap foldable handset, but it could be that the components for such a device might become cheaper in the near future, allowing for reduced retail price.

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Foldable smartphones have been a new trend in the industry for over a year now and companies have made their respective offerings stand out quite a bit. Samsung had made a device with an inward folding display, while Huawei made one with an outward folding screen. Similarly, the Moto Razr 2019 followed a clamshell design and now, Oppo might be looking to launch a device that bends outward horizontally.

According to a LetsGoDigital report, the Chinese tech giant recently had a patent for a foldable smartphone approved by the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office). In the patent, an unique design is adopted by the bendable handset. Unlike the Galaxy Z Flip and Motorola Razr, the display bends outward, rather than the clamshell inward bending design the other two devices feature.

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Looking at the detailed images in the patent, Oppo designed the smartphone to be compact and portable. While the display would be large when unfolded, being bent outward would still have the entire display being present outside, but make it easier to carry around, and also eliminates the need for a smartphone cover. This design would also allow the primary camera sensor to be used as a selfie shooter as well.

Notably, the Oppo patented device features an angle detection module, which calculates the angle between two housing. One housing is for the magnet while the other is for the Hall sensor. These determine how the device is being used, and by its extension, adjust the UI according to the display’s orientation. The folding mechanism is supported by a cylindrical hinge. Unfortunately, it is unknown if Oppo will actually develop such a device or whether this just the company’s attempt to cover all bases. So stay tuned.

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Samsung was one of the first smartphone manufacturers to launch a foldable device commercially in the market. Although the Galaxy Fold was off to a rough start, the company managed to pull through and eventually make the product a success. Now, the South Korean tech giant is reportedly gearing for the launch of the successor, Galaxy Fold 2, which will arrive with an Ultra Thin Glass display unlike the bendable polymer display used on the predecessor.

Previously, it was reported that Samsung signed a deal with another South Korean company that would supply the former with the UTG displays. However, now it has been confirmed to be the case as the company has submitted a trademark for the name “Ultra Thin Glass.”

This move arrives after the disaster that had initially plagued Galaxy Fold devices when their polyamide film over its flexible display panel was accidentally removed by people. The removal process damaged the screen; thus, making glass a better alternative altogether.

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The UTG is expected to be found in Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 handset is said to be thinner than 100 microns or even 30 microns. In other words, it is going to be super thin with a width similar to that of human hair. It also makes the smartphone considerably more scratch resistant. However, the one downside is that it is difficult to produce and is even more expensive than the previous display.

Samsung reportedly wants to bump up the production of foldable smartphones this year, to produce in the ranges of 5 to 6 million units for the market; most of these are expected to be the Galaxy Fold 2 with the new UTG display. Dowoo Insys is the South Korean supplier for the new display and Samsung has already invested KRW 12 Billion (roughly 10 million USD) for the expansion of its manufacturing capacity which currently stands at 500,000 units.

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Samsung is likely to make an aggressive push in 2020 with an overhaul of its flagship camera setup. The upcoming Galaxy S11, as well as the Galaxy Fold 2020 clamshell model, is said to feature a large 108MP camera sensor at the back along with a 5x optical zoom setup.

Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones have so far featured decent cameras but they have been far from revolutionary. As compared to Huawei’s periscope cameras or even OPPO’s 10X hybrid zoom tech, this year’s Galaxy smartphones have stuck to a traditional camera setup. But according to a new Bloomberg report, Samsung is going to make some big changes in its flagship camera setup next year.

The report states that the Galaxy S11 and the Galaxy Fold 2020 will feature a large 108MP camera sensor, probably the ISOCELL BRIGHT HMX Samsung sensor at the back. The primary sensor will be further supported by a 5x optical zoom setup on both these devices. In addition to these two sensors, the Galaxy S11 is expected to get two more sensors, including an ultrawide-angle lens and a time-of-flight sensor for depth detection. Both the devices are expected to be launched in February 2020.

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2020 will be an important year for Samsung to extend its lead in the smartphone industry. Apple’s upcoming iPhones are expected to feature some revolutionary changes and Samsung’s aggressive camera setup overhaul is likely in response to the changes in the new iPhone cameras.

Next year would also be a good time to leave Huawei behind in the international smartphone market. The Chinese smartphone maker has been chasing Samsung for the past couple of years, waiting to grab the top spot. But without access to Google apps, Huawei’s incredible international growth will definitely be stunted in the coming months. This will likely create a vacuum in the international markets, particularly Europe, and Samsung can conveniently take advantage of this situation with the new Galaxy models in the coming quarters.

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