Galaxy X Launch To Take Place At CES, Hints Samsung UK

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Samsung’s much-hyped foldable phone Galaxy X could soon see the light of the day. Rumors about the device have been circulating for years. The Korean company lent credibility to the rumors when it told media that it was planning to launch the foldable smartphone in 2018. Samsung has now dropped a big hint that the Galaxy X launch could take place at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Get ready to witness the Galaxy X launch at the CES

The CES will be held from January 7 through January 12. Earlier, there were speculations that Samsung could announce the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus at the CES. Samsung was quick to deny those rumors, which increased the odds of Galaxy X launch taking place at the trade show next month. Now Samsung’s UK Newsroom has put up a banner that teases the Galaxy X launch at the CES.

The banner reads “Samsung X CES 2018.” It could be a deliberate attempt by the Korean company to get fans excited about the foldable phone ahead of its launch. Little is known about the phone’s features and specs, or to which markets the device will be rolled out. If the banner is indeed pointing to the imminent Galaxy X launch, we will find out all the details soon.

Samsung to produce only limited quantities of Galaxy X

In February this year, Samsung applied at the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS) to trademark the “Samsung Galaxy X” brand. Past rumors have claimed that the foldable phone would debut in the first half of 2018. It could put the company in a tight spot because Samsung wouldn’t want the Galaxy X to hurt the sales of the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus models, which would hit the store shelves in March.

To ensure that the Galaxy X launch doesn’t hurt the sales of the well-established Galaxy S line, Samsung will reportedly launch the foldable phone exclusively in South Korea. It will also allow the company to gauge the consumer response before launching it in other markets in late 2018 or early 2019. According to Korea Herald, Samsung will initially produce only 100,000 units of Galaxy X for its home market.

The story of the wrong model number

For the last several months, a phone with model number SM-G888N0 was seen passing through various regulatory platforms. That model number was repeatedly linked to the Galaxy X. The device had received certification from KIPRIS, Bluetooth SIG, and the WiFi Alliance. Samsung had also put up a support page on its website for the same smartphone.

As it turned out later, the model number SM-G888N0 – where “N0” denotes the South Korean market – was not Galaxy X. Samsung said in a press release earlier this month that SM-G888N0 was a rugged smartphone for professionals. It means that phone would not be available in the consumer market. At this point, it’s unclear what the foldable phone’s model number is.

If the Galaxy X launch is only a few days away, the phone should have received certification from regulators by now. Way back during the CES 2013, Samsung had demonstrated a concept foldable phone. The concept device had a single sheet of flexible screen that you could wrap around your wrist. But the actual Galaxy X is unlikely to be that exciting or revolutionary, at least that’s what Samsung’s patents suggest.

What Samsung’s patents tell us about the Galaxy X

Samsung has filed numerous patents related to the foldable smartphone in the last few years. Most of the patents tell the same story that the Galaxy X would have two screens connected to each other through a hinge in the middle. It seems more like ZTE’s Axon M than the concept Samsung had showcased at the CES 2013.

Samsung Galaxy X Patent
Image Source: LetsGoDigital.org (screenshot)

According to patent documents, you could open it to use the device like a tablet. When not in use, you could turn the screens inward to protect the displays. You could also use only one screen at a time by turning the secondary screen towards the back of the primary one. According to one of the patents, both the screens have their own camera and speaker.

The patent documents also described many use cases where you could take advantage of the two screens. For instance, one screen could show the viewfinder from the front camera while the second one could show the main camera viewfinder. When playing games, you could use the second screen to control the actions on the primary screen. In another case, the primary screen could show you the list of all your contacts, and the second one could offer the contact card of a specific person.

Are you excited about the Galaxy X?  Let us know in the comments below.

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