Samsung plans to release a folding smartphone soon. Source: The Verge

Samsung Electronics offered a sneak peek on Wednesday of its future smartphone that unfolds and folds just like a book. The phone appeared to have a screen of at least 7.3 inches and this will make it the largest smartphone when it comes out in terms of screen size. The device appeared to be a combination of a simple pocket smartphone and a tablet. Many smartphone companies have been trying to invent ways to expand the display to meet customer preferences in the market, and this is one of the most innovative solutions we have seen so far towards this goal.

Smartphone screens have always been thought as rigid glass screens. This has been the thinking for years but Samsung could change things soon. Its Infinity Flex Display allows people to get a smaller smartphone that can easily fit into the pocket but with additional options to expand the display if and when they need to. Samsung said that the new technology will be available on its devices in 2019. However, the exact details of when this will happen and the name of the devices which will get the new folding screens still remains a mystery.

Samsung’s CEO in charge of the mobile division said that the new folding screen is not a gimmick. Source: CNBC

The new tech was showcased during a developer’s conference in San Francisco. Samsung is hoping to woo app developers around the world to create experiences that will take advantage of the folding screen in the future. Samsung’s CEO in charge of the mobile division DJ Koh said that the new folding screen is not a gimmick. He added that it has always been clear to many phone companies that a bigger screen offers a better experience for users. He also noted that if Samsung would try to make a bigger device than the Note, then it would automatically become a tablet. This is not the direction that the company wants to take and as such, the idea of folding the screen came through. Samsung has worked on the technology over the last four years.

Folded up, the phone will have a screen at its front just like a normal smartphone. But when unfolded, the screen will almost double in size. What’s more interesting here is that the screen folds flat. You wouldn’t even notice that you’re using two screens at the same time. The big phone trend has been heating up over the last few years. Consumers want bigger screens and even though the major smartphone makers have tried to enlarge their devices, there’s still a big demand for bigger screens.

It’s clear that this is Samsung’s trump card in its efforts to stimulate sales in the coming years. Source: Android Authority

Samsung hopes that the foldable screen will be an invention that delivers early mover advantages in a very competitive smartphone market. Apple too recently released a bigger smartphone but it still failed to capture the imagination of consumers when it comes to bigger screens. The foldable screen might achieve this once it launches. It’s clear that this is Samsung’s trump card in its efforts to stimulate sales in the coming years. There’s just so much that you can do with a big screen so there’s no doubt that many consumers will be looking forward to the new technology to see what it has to offer.