When I finally got my hands on the Royole Flexpaithe world’s first flexible smartphone, I couldn’t stop obsessing about the rubber spine as I opened and closed it.

I worried that I was going to break it, but the two halves snapped into place via magnets just fine. Watching the Android operating system flex and bend on the display kept me riveted.

I tapped the screen, and nothing happened.

Samsung galaxy x folding phone shown at ces 2019 cube

When it finally did, another widget popped over the main menu. I folded out the display, and waited for the screen to reorient itself. And waited.

Tap, tap, tap. Nothing, nothing, nothing.

Discuss: CES shows the foldable phone revolution will be awkward, but essential Sign in to comment Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. In October, Huawei , the No. Samsung galaxy x folding phone shown at ces 2019 It’s made to feel smaller thanks to the sizable bezels above and below, reminiscent of phones from around 10 years ago.

It was definitely not ready for prime time. To be fair, the phone I tried out wasn’t a commercial-ready unit yet, and the Royole engineer who showed me the phone said updates were coming daily.

But that first awkward experience underscores some of the growing pains that flexible smartphones are likely to endure as they make their debut this year.

26.01.2020 – I folded out the display, and waited for the screen to reorient itself. Update : Jan. Even Apple is reportedly looking into this form factor though certainly not for , which offers the convenience of extreme portability when folded and a larger screen whenever you need it.

The idea of a device that you unfold to enlarge, or roll up to put in your pocket, is the stuff of sci-fi movies, the kind of thing I grew up fantasizing about.

Only, it’s real now, and it opens the door to new types of designs beyond the boring slab of plastic or metal. Innovation came with it.

Samsung Shows Off Folding Galaxy F Behind Closed Doors At CES | HotHardware

And then there was the beautiful “LG waterfall” formed from dozens of curved displays at the entrance to its booth. Flexible displays have long been hyped up, but Samsung put some substance behind the hype last November when it showed off a prototype foldable Galaxy smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy F with 360° Moving Display – More Than a Foldable Phone!

In October, Huaweithe No. At CES, a number of handset makers spoke to me about their experiences.

But a new design could also mean new interface, and that could prove awkward and buggy. Some handset vendors talked about the challenge of making a bendable phone able to handle daily use, while others noted that the software and interface required by new design could be complicated.

Google has said it would support foldable phones in its next version of Android, but that’s nearly a year away.

While I’m genuinely excited about flexible phones, I’m also skeptical. If foldable devices represent a revolution in design, what we see in will be the catalyst.

The company has teased a foldable phone for years, and it’s finally ready to deliver in the first half. The rumored Galaxy X or Galaxy F is expected to make an appearance at Samsung’s Unpacked event in February, even if the focus will be on the flagship Galaxy S10 smartphone.

Unlike the Flexpai, whose screens fold on the outside, Samsung’s flexible screen will be on the inside, and the device will close up like a clamshell.

There’s also a smaller, more standard screen on the outside. De Silva called it a feat of engineering, noting that the phone has an articulated spine that allows it to open and close smoothly like a book.

When the FlexPai is folded, there’s still an annoying gap in the middle, as in the Microsoft Surface Book laptop.

Samsung galaxy x folding phone shown at ces 2019 five spy

Samsung’s brief showing of its foldable phone revealed a large, flexible screen on the inside, plus a smaller screen on the outside. But just as important as the hardware is the software, and having an experience that best makes use of all that screen real estate.

Samsung, however, has had a mixed history with its software and user experience. Part of me is worried about the challenges of a completely new design scheme.

De Silva said Samsung is focusing on the software, including the ability to run three apps simultaneously and to do one-handed navigation even with the bigger display.

Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Fold review | TechRadar

Whether it succeeds or fails, Samsung’s entry into the foldable phone world will make an impact. The Galaxy Note franchise made obscenely big displays a thing.

The foldable Galaxy phone could similarly drag the rest of the industry into this area. Beyond Samsung and Huawei, handset makers at the show talked about the challenges of using flexible displays.

China’s TCL, the company that makes BlackBerry and Alcatel smartphones, said it would create a flexible device bywhich could be a phone.

What we haven’t seen though yet is any leaked images of the actual Motorola Razr phone, so here’s hoping that Motorola’s desire not to come to market markedly later than its rivals comes true and we get an official announcement shortly. Asus Mobile Phones Price List in India Posted 1 day ago — By Mark Jansen.

It has the help of its own display maker, China Star Optoelectronics Technology, which makes displays for its phones and televisions.

But Park didn’t commit to any timing on a foldable phone.

Not a bad package. Samsung galaxy x folding phone shown at ces 2019 Those negatives paled in comparison when several review units given to media developed faults with the main display. As temperatures rise Currys has cut prices on a range of cooling fans.

He also cast some doubt on such a device’s ability to withstand wear and tear. An executive from another handset maker that didn’t want to identified noted that bending a phone with the display on the outside FlexPai method is much easier than on the inside Samsung method.

That person’s company was still working on the durability issue of the inside-folding option. Patrick Moorhead, an analyst at Moor Insights, expects five to 10 companies to announce a foldable device, and he said he was impressed by what he saw at CES.

MediaTek Chief Financial Officer David Ku, likewise, was skeptical about the prospects for foldable phones in China because of the potential cost.

With all the focus on 5G this year, flexible phones may end up as a side act until that new networking technology matures.

Lenovo samsung galaxy x folding phone shown at ces 2019 firmware v80

Published Jan. Update : Jan. It will release a foldable device, which could be a phone.

Galaxy S10 launch date confirmed : Tune in Feb. We tested 5G speeds in 13 cities. Here’s what we found : Faster speed versus more coverage.

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Phones CES shows the foldable phone revolution will be awkward, but essential Commentary: Someone’s got to take that first, weird step.

By Roger Cheng.

Samsung galaxy x folding phone shown at ces 2019 password

The Royole Flexpai is the first foldable phone in the market. But it’s still a little rough. But then I tried using the phone.

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