Samsung Shows Off Flip-Style Foldable Phone

At its developer conference, Samsung provided a sneak peek at a concept for a new foldable smartphone that has a vertical fold, similar to that of an old flip phone, instead of a horizontal fold like its recently released Galaxy Fold device. The tech company displayed the device in a video clip that begins with the Galaxy Fold opening and closing before moving to a new model that closes in half in the style of a clamshell, CNBC reported.

According to the outlet, it is not clear if Samsung intends to commercially roll out the device. The firm said in a statement per Reuters that it could not comment on future products, but that it is “committed to pioneering the foldable category, including investing in the development of new form factors.” A spokesperson for the tech company was not available for comment immediately when contacted by CNBC.

Per the report, the phone is said to be a “brief teaser” of future innovations, as Samsung and its competitors strive to find new ways to update and improve smartphone designs. Xiaomi has teased a gadget that folds into a phone from a tablet that can be held with a single hand, while Huawei recently rolled out its folding Mate X phone.

Foldable devices have reportedly had a difficult start. Huawei Technologies Co. needed to delay the Mate X, while reviewers were said to be unimpressed with Royole Corp.’s FlexPai. And Samsung reportedly faced a design defect that pushed back the release of the Galaxy Fold.

“I’m intrigued to see if a manufacturer can deliver a clamshell design that takes the current smartphone footprint and lets you fold it in half like a wallet in a similar manner to mobile phones of yesterday, such as the iconic Motorola Razr,” CCS Insight Analyst Ben Wood said, per a report in September. “That’s what the world is probably waiting for.”