Earlier this week, Oppo revealed the stunning Oppo X 2021 phone that features a sliding display that will make it one of the best phones of, uh, 2021. But just as soon as the tech was revealed, Samsung insiders started to suggest that the company may also be developing a folding phone – or rather, a rollable phone – to take it on.
The new rumors centre around a potential Samsung Galaxy Z Fold S phone, which we could see within the next few years. Details are certainly thin on the ground, but the initial rumors are suggesting that it could feature some similar tech to the Oppo X 2021.
Galaxy Z Fold ScrollNovember 17, 2020
Samsung leaker Ice Universe, who has a good track record with similar rumors, has said that a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold S or Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Scroll device could be coming in the near future, posting the information alongside an image of the Oppo X 2021.
They further clarified that at this stage the device is only in the “laboratory test” phase of development, so is still a long way off and likely will not be the first to market. We know that Oppo has similar plans for the Oppo X 2021, and Ice Universe also stated that Huawei, Xiaomi, and potentially others will also have similar sliding phones in the next year.
The news is hardly surprising; Samsung has been a pioneer of foldable screens in phones, and this style of device seems to be the next big thing in the space, but there could be some interesting potential legal battles when it comes to the sliding design. Oppo stated that it has applied for 122 patents for the Oppo X 2021, and if granted, that could throw a spanner in the works for any other companies looking to get in on the sliding screen market, especially when it comes to the sliding screen motor that Oppo is using, which has 12 patents alone.
But fans of more traditional style folding screens – if you can even say that at this point – shouldn’t be worried, as Ice Universe also revealed that Samsung will release a Galaxy Z Fold 3 that will feature an under display camera and second-generation Ultra Thin Glass technology, as well as S Pen support.
Samsung’s under screen camera tech could be a real game-changer when it comes to the design of phones, eliminating the notch and holepunch camera altogether.
The emergence of a new line of devices lends weight to rumor that the Note line is in danger, with Samsung dropping it in favor of the Z series, which will become the new flagship device for the company’s mobile division.
While Samsung was first in the foldables market, it looks like it’s going to be late to the party when it comes to expandable screens.
If you’re looking for a new phone that exists in the here and now in the meantime, we’ve rounded up the best Black Friday deals from around the web, so you’re sure to find a bargain on a brand new smartphone.
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