Samsung Shows Off Foldable Smartphone With Infinity Flex Display

Samsung has finally unveiled its foldable smartphone during the company’s Developer Conference yesterday and revealed some key details about its hardware and software. The Samsung foldable smartphone comes with a new Infinity Flex Display that allows the device to fold in half inwards, like a book.

When Samsung showed off the phone live on stage yesterday, the device was inside a box-like case to hide its design. This also explains why the handset appears to have huge bezels around its displays. When unfolded, the device comes with a larger 7.3-inch Infinity Flex display with an aspect ratio of 4.2:3, much like a small tablet. The unfolded display’s resolution is 1536 x 2152.

When folded, the device has a secondary display on the outside which Samsung calls a “cover display,” according to Android Police. This measures 4.58 inches and has an aspect ratio of 21:9. The secondary touchscreen allows users to continue using the device even when it’s folded. The display comes with a very tall aspect ratio which isn’t ideal for watching videos or playing games, but it does make it easier to use with one hand and fit easily in pockets. The resolution of the secondary display is 1960 x 840 and it has a pixel density of 420dpi.

On the software side of things, Google has announced that it’s bringing Android support for smartphones with foldable form factors. This includes Samsung’s foldable phone concept. Google is planning to make sure that Android will be completely compatible with foldable smartphones and manufacturers will be able to start using it.

This also allows developers to start optimizing their apps to support the foldable user interface. One of the very first apps that already has an optimized version is the news aggregation app Flipboard. The developers behind the app are already working with Samsung to bring a user interface that automatically adapts to the folded position of the Infinity Flex display, as reported by The Verge.

“The foldable display lays the foundation for a new kind of mobile experience. We are excited to work with developers on this new platform to create new value for our customers. We cannot wait to see where the technology and collaboration takes us,” Samsung president and CEO DJ Koh said.

Samsung said that it’s ready to start mass production of its Infinity Flex displays “in the coming months.” Google noted that Samsung is planning to release its foldable Android smartphone sometime next year.