Samsung’s upcoming foldable phone, which has alternately been referred to as the Galaxy X and Galaxy F, could be a more anticipated device than the Galaxy S10 for certain consumers, but new reports suggest that the handset might not be released in large numbers like the South Korean company’s other Galaxy flagships. Instead, only a handful of units might be manufactured ahead of the device’s release date.
On Wednesday, Patently Apple focused mainly on Samsung’s decision to go with Japanese electronic component maker Sumitomo Chemical as the company’s “first foldable smartphone supplier” for polyimide plastic films, as the company chose it over a South Korean firm, Kolon Industries. T3 explained that this feature is used to coat smartphone screens, and in the Galaxy X’s case, protect the display from the intense wear and tear expected when users repeatedly operate the foldable device.
Typically, premium smartphone makers use products such as Corning’s Gorilla Glass to reinforce display panels on their devices, but as Patently Apple noted, glass reinforcements are more susceptible to breaking, thus making them a poor fit for foldable phones.
According to Patently Apple , Samsung went with a Japanese supplier over the local competition because of Sumitomo’s ability to “meet small supply orders,” such as those for the Galaxy X/Galaxy F. The publication added that Samsung is only planning a “limited batch” for the foldable phone, but will likely go with Kolon Industries for larger shipments “at a later date” if the device proves to be a success in terms of sales.
Samsung Galaxy X foldable phone could lack the durability of other flagships https://t.co/Vc4jRyzoAW
— DCP Web Designers (@dcpwebdesigners) September 22, 2018
Anticipation for Samsung’s first foldable phone is still running high in the run-up to its launch date. Earlier this month, Samsung mobile division CEO DJ Koh hinted that the company will likely be ready to unveil the Galaxy X/Galaxy F at an event in November, and while he did not mention the device by any of its rumored names, CNBC noted that he referred to quite a few of its expected selling features. However, there’s a chance that the highly touted device might not be arriving this year after all, despite Koh’s previous statements.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr , Samsung might use the November event to reveal some additional details about the Galaxy X/Galaxy F, as the company has yet to actually confirm a specific timeframe for the device to be unveiled. Speaking to the Korea Herald, a spokesperson for Samsung said that the company could tease some “details about specifications” without actually revealing any new hardware.
According to T3 , it’s still possible that Samsung will wait until the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in January to unveil the Galaxy X/Galaxy F, just as rumors had once suggested.
