Foldable display smartphones are going to be the next big thing. Samsung has been working on a foldable smartphone for years, and it is rumoured to launch sometime next year. Huawei too has reportedly entered the race and intends to beat Samsung to the punch. Now, a new report from South Korea-based ET News states Xiaomi and Oppo are also planning to enter the race.
The report states that the two major Chinese manufacturers are looking for display manufactures to supply foldable displays to them. There’s a limited number of choices for the two — BOE, Visionox and LG Display. Huawei is relying on BOE to supply them flexible panels. They will also need other materials and components for a foldable smartphone. The phones are due to launch in 2019.
Xiaomi also doesn’t intend to follow, but to lead. The company that recently became publicly listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange intends to begin production immediately after the announcement in 2019. Xiaomi will stick to the Chinese market for now and will aim to undercut its rival in terms of pricing.
Oppo too has acquired a patent for a foldable smartphone design which shows device that can double up as a tablet.
Samsung’s foldable smartphone is likely to retail for US$ 1788 to US$ 2,652 (Rs 1,22612 to Rs 1,81,000 roughly) while Xiaomi plans to bring a foldable phone in China from US$ 890 to US$ 1,339 (roughly Rs 61,000 to Rs 91,820).