
The future may be getting closer than we all think, as Samsung has launched us into the era of foldable phones this year.
In a bid to boost up the demand of the crippling smartphone market, the South Korean giant unveiled the Galaxy Fold, along with four other S10 smartphones at the Samsung Unpacked event in San Francisco.
The Galaxy Fold totally stole the show as Samsung wasted no time in introducing the smartphone to spectators and stakeholders who ooh’d and aah’d throughout the entire presentation.
The Galaxy Fold is a 4-inch portable smartphone which unfolds into a massive 7.3-inch HD tablet touchscreen. When unfolded, the smartphone is able to run 3 different apps simultaneously on its split screen.
Samsung announced that it had spent 5 years developing the technology behind the foldable smartphone. It had worked with Google’s Android to develop a software that allows apps showing on the small screen to automatically spread out into the larger screen when fully unfolded.
The Galaxy Fold also features an impressive 6 cameras: one in the front, two inside and three at the rear. It comes in four colors: Astro blue, Martian green, Cosmo black and Space silver.
This move by the tech company couldn’t have come at a better time. The smartphone marketplace had taken a hit in recent times. Phone designs and features have remained static for a long time, with each phone company releasing pretty much the same features one can find in other smartphones.
According to Strategic Analytics, smartphone worldwide shipments dropped down by 5% last year. Consumers were generally beginning to hold onto their devices more while waiting for new innovations in the market.
This is the reason why the Galaxy Fold is a total game changer in overall consumer expectations. Samsung’s presenters referred to the product as a luxury device that comes with a free pair of Galaxy Bud wireless headphones.
The smartphone will be available from April 26 with a starting price of $1,280. This makes it the most expensive smartphone on the block.
The Galaxy Fold will launch in a trend of foldable devices this year from other smartphone companies. Chinese company, Royole had already previewed and released the FlexPai foldable device.
Xiaomi and Huawei have teased foldable phones and Apple has filed patents for a foldable phone design. Google is already committed to providing Android support for foldable devices.