Samsung is making in-folding displays for Google, Oppo, Xiaomi
Recognition: Eric Zeman / Android Authority
- Samsung Display reportedly makes collapsible displays for Google, Oppo, and Xiaomi.
- It seems like Google and Xiaomi could use a Galaxy Fold-like form factor.
- Oppos’s screen is said to be a clamshell design like the Galaxy Z Flip.
Google confirmed back in 2019 that it was investigating foldable phones 9to5Google Then, last year, the first details on a foldable Pixel phone were reported.
Now Korean news agency The Elec (h / t: SamMobile) reported that Samsung Display is making a collapsible, foldable screen for Google. Except for the point of sale where it was claimed Google requested a 7.6-inch foldable display, there weren’t many details. This is the same screen size as the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which suggests an identical form factor rather than a clamshell design like the Galaxy Z Flip.
The Elec also reported that Samsung Display made foldable displays for Oppo and Xiaomi as well. The Oppo screen is said to be a clamshell design that folds top-down, unfolds 7.7 inches, and has a 1.5 “to 2” screen on the outside. This would be a significantly larger main screen than the 6.7-inch display on the Galaxy Z Flip.
Read more: The best foldable phones you can buy right now
Meanwhile, Xiaomi reportedly uses an 8.03-inch flip display with a 6.38-inch external screen. In other words, this also suggests a similar form factor to the Galaxy Fold line. It is unclear whether this foldable and the upcoming foldable Xiaomi, code-named Cetus, are the same device.
The Elec reports that all three devices will hit the market this year, suggesting that more large manufacturers will finally enter the foldable phone market. The news also comes less than a month after another Korean news agency reported that several Chinese brands (including Oppo and Vivo) were working with Samsung Display on leaflets slated to launch in 2021.
In both cases, Samsung has built a huge advantage over competing devices with its Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Fold lines. And with Samsung advertising features like ultra-thin glass, it will be an uphill battle for competing manufacturers to dent the market.
