One of the most common criticisms of the Galaxy Note 8 was that Samsung played things too safe. It's understandable after the Note 7 debacle last year, but part of the appeal of the Note series was that it was more than just a big screen and a pen. The Note line would often debut with a newer processor than the corresponding Galaxy S phone of the year, new materials, or both. But since the Note 5, the Note line has largely mirrored the design language and feature set of the Galaxy S series.
That may be changing next year. Bloomberg reports that Samsung Electronics President Koh Dong-jin is targeting a 2018 release for a smartphone with a foldable display. The company has been trying to make foldable displays for the past few years, but maybe a new advancement has made the flexible devices possible. From Bloomberg:
"As the head of the business, I can say our current goal is next year," [Koh] told reporters. "When we can overcome some problems for sure, we will launch the product.
Such a device would let users fit the device in a normal pants pocket — though it will certainly be thicker when folded — then unfold the display for watching movies, reading books, or doing productive work. Combined with Samsung's Dex docking stations and Knox security suite, the devices could be a boon for enterprise customers. Similar functioning devices include the Kyocera Echo and upcoming ZTE Axon Multy, though those devices both use two displays rather than one foldable panel.
Bloomberg also said Samsung's Boxby-powered smart speaker is still in the works, though there is no information on when the device will be formally announced or available to purchase.
Would you be interested in a phone with a foldable display? Let us know down below!
