Samsung is reportedly working on a foldable phone to add to its line, according to Nikkei Asia (through 9to5Google) According to the article, the phone would fold into three segments using two hinges and could be announced “as early as the end of this year”. The phone would be a third option in Samsung’s foldable line, joining the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip, which are also expected to appear in new versions this year.
According to the report, the project is still being finalized, but NikkeiCompany sources say their screen could have a more standard 16: 9 or 18: 9 aspect ratio, making it easier for app makers to design than the 25: 9 screen found on the Z Fold.
We’ve already seen multi-fold phones: Xiaomi’s foldable phone prototype folded in two points, but the company reportedly adopted a design more like the Galaxy Fold for its foldable future. Huawei’s foldable Mate X2 also uses a design similar to that of Samsung. It would be a bit ironic, then, if Samsung were working on a double-fold design after others adopted its simple fold style.
It is possible that Samsung is introducing the new type of folding to facilitate the transition of advanced users to the format. Samsung says it can skip a new Galaxy Note this year, but it is unclear exactly why. There was talk of simplifying phone offerings and the global chip shortage, but that could be a test to see if Note users are ready to fold. By giving customers three foldable options to choose from, Samsung can try to make it as likely as possible that people will find one that works for them.
The launch of the multi-faceted phone is likely to depend on Samsung’s ability to deal with the chip shortage that has been affecting the entire industry. Foldable phones are already more difficult to make than standard smartphones, and if Samsung doesn’t get the chips it needs, it could delay the company’s plans. Still, it’s exciting to know that Samsung is working on a third type of folding, as this indicates that Samsung still sees the format as the future.