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Foldable Samsung smartphone to arrive in January? (UPDATE)

A foldable Samsung smartphone, known as Project Valley, could arrive in January 2016, according to a knowledgeable source.
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Published onSeptember 15, 2015

samsung logo mwc 2015 8

Update 9-16: It has been only a day after this leak emerged, and the guys over at Patently Mobile have already gotten their hands on a patent filing that could show us how Samsung is planning to incorporate its folding display methods. This patent application was submitted back in Q3 2014, so we are not sure when/if Samsung will be applying this technique, but it seems to go right in line with other rumors.

In summary, this smartphone should come with a hinge that will allow the device to morph into different shapes. The image below illustrates a mesh surface where the screen would lay. It doesn’t seem like a complicated process, right? Let’s just hope this technology makes it to market!

samsung-foldable-display-patent

Original post: Remember those interesting looking foldable display prototypes from Samsung last year? Well, a new report from a “leakster with in-depth knowledge” suggests that Samsung may be preparing to launch a foldable smartphone next year.

The handset, also previously known as “Project Valley”, could appear as early as January 2016. The device has previously been rumored to feature a dual-display setup, with a larger display on the inside that might fold over when the shell is closed. There will apparently be two versions of the handset, both powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon processors.

A mid-range version is said to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 620 SoC, while another may make use of a high-end Snapdragon 820 processor. Samsung is the first OEM to receive samples of Qualcomm’s next flagship processor, which it may also be using in the Galaxy S7.

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Alongside the SoC, the foldable smartphone will also apparently be powered by 3GB of RAM, will feature a microSD card slot and will come with a non-removable battery. That said, there’s no way to validate these rumors right now.

Patently Mobile
However, Samsung Display has previously stated that “the commercialization of foldable smartphones will be possible in 2016” and a patent for Samsung’s dual-screen Project Valley foldable smartphone cropped up earlier this year too. Samsung certainly seems to be working on this type of device in some capacity, but there’s always a big leap from prototype to a retail product.

Would you buy a foldable smartphone, or is the design just too odd to be practical?

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