The smartphone community has been waiting for the release of the Galaxy X for a very long time. Samsung has teased concepts of a foldable handset for years now, but despite all the patents, rumors, and constant leaks, the South Korean tech giant seems intent on keeping the mobile phone world waiting.
Just recently, news broke that the Galaxy X was delayed again, with the smartphone reportedly planned for an early 2019 launch , as noted in a Korea Herald report. If this statement is familiar, it is because a similar rumor emerged at the beginning of 2017. As could be seen since then, the Galaxy X is nowhere to be found.
This does not mean to say that Samsung is just toying with the smartphone community, however. According to recent leaks, a working prototype of the foldable smartphone was shown off recently at a closed-door meeting. As for the release of the device, however, it is still moved back to 2019, at least.
One of the reasons behind the constant delays of the Galaxy X’s release might be Samsung’s intent to perfect the handset before it gets rolled out to the market. According to a recent Android Central report, patents seemingly pertaining to the Galaxy X suggest that the smartphone would likely feature a design that folds in like a conventional clamshell phone , with the handset’s screen folding in.
In order to pull this off, Samsung is rumored to be working on a design that splits the internal components of the smartphone between its top and bottom half. A special hinge notably akin to the one Microsoft utilized in the Surface Book could also be found in the Galaxy X’s patents, suggesting that Samsung might be equipping the foldable handset with something similar.
Here’s everything we know about the upcoming @samsungmobile #GalaxyX foldable flagship ? https://t.co/9ov8AjHRRZ
— Android Central (@androidcentral) January 24, 2018
While this would enable the smartphone to fold, however, using a hinge similar to the Surface Book would result in the Galaxy X having a significant gap between its top and bottom halves when the handset is folded in. This means that for all intents and purposes, the Galaxy X could not be folded flat, which might result in a rather awkward user experience.
? Samsung confirme son smartphone pliant, le Galaxy X, pour 2018 #Samsung #GalaxyX > https://t.co/ccEP0m8Zj4 pic.twitter.com/4FVgLY5oWH
— Phonandroid (@phonandroid) January 31, 2018
For now, at least, it seems like it would simply be best to wait and see what Samsung reveals when it finally decides that the market is ready for the coming of a foldable phone.