Thursday, March 28, 2024

Huawei may be releasing a foldable smartphone next year

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Why it matters to you

Huawei maybe joining the ranks of Samsung and ZTE by offering a foldable smartphone next year.

Edge-to-edge displays were the defining trend of smartphone design in 2017. First appearing on the Samsung Galaxy S8, the feature will be included on the iPhone X and numerous other smartphones. As pretty as these screens look, it is possible that we’ll be seeing yet another trend emerge in 2018, and it’s one that could really shake things up: foldable smartphones. ZTE kicked things off with the Atom M, which featured two screens connected by a hinge. The device was certainly an interesting one, but we found it lacking in comparison to the more traditional, and much cheaper, Axon 7.

ZTE’s offering may not have been perfect, but it may have been a herald of things to come as CNet has reported that Huawei is working on a foldable smartphone for next year. Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei’s consumer business group, said that the company already has a workable prototype, but stressed the need for better design and innovation.

“We have two screens,” Yu said. “But we still have a small gap [between the screens]. That’s not good, and we should get rid of that gap.”

Such new features are more than just a novelty for tech enthusiasts. It is one of the ways in which Huawei hopes to overtake its rivals and become the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer.

“We will overtake them definitely,” Yu said. “That’s our destiny. Maybe I’m not humble … but nobody can stop us.”

Such boasting might seem like PR spin, but Huawei has the resources and market share to back it up. The company might not be the household names that Samsung or Apple are, but it is the world’s third-largest smartphone manufacturer.

In terms of foldable smartphones, Huawei isn’t the only company seeking to enter the market. Samsung is hoping to release a bendable smartphone next year. Samsung’s device, which appears to feature a single flexible screen, is more in line with the rumors and patients regarding foldable phones. As for Huawei, it remains to be seen whether their device will be closer to Samsung or ZTE’s. Either way, 2018 is looking like it will be a very interesting year for smartphone enthusiasts.

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