A new Galaxy X leak has provided an intriguing insight into the potential makeup of the forthcoming foldable smartphone. With the handset set to be revealed before the end of 2018, sketches of the device have been leaked online, and have provided critical information on some of the features to be included in this innovative handset.
Dutch leak
Renders of the forthcoming smartphone from the Korean corporation indicate that the Android device will benefit from a heart rate monitor. Dutch website LetsGoDigital spotted sketches of the Galaxy X foldable phone that were released by the World Intellectual Property Organization; considered to be a particularly credible source.
It is believed that the illustrations emanated from a patent application submitted by Samsung in June of last year, and this must surely be the most important Galaxy X leak to emerge thus far. And the authenticity of this information was amplified by the inclusion of a hinge in the middle of the device, which is presumed to be a central aspect of the Galaxy X design.
This latest Galaxy X leak has also garnered attention as heart rate monitors have not featured in recent Samsung releases. The inclusion of such technology suggests that the consumer electronics giant may take a slightly different approach with the Galaxy X than some of its other smartphone devices. This is not hugely surprising, as the Galaxy X will surely be marketed at a different audience, and it is largely anticipated that the smartphone will only launch in East Asia initially.
Health focus
So does this Galaxy X leak mean that the device will be a health-centric mobile? Possibly. This is certainly something that Apple has attempted to deliver with the Apple Watch, and thus it would arguably makes sense for Samsung to attempt to offer something similar, even though it has its own wearable device as well.
And this could be part of an overall change in emphasis with the Samsung portfolio of products, with the Korean corporation set to acknowledge the importance of health functionality in 2018.
Despite this latest Galaxy X leak having whet the appetites of some of the biggest Samsung and Android fans, we should not expect the smartphone to release in the particularly near future. Samsung has already conceded that it has experienced significant logistical difficulties with the Galaxy X, meaning that its emergence will be postponed.
2018 challenge
In fact, the Galaxy X may not be released in 2018 whatsoever, and if it does appear then we can expect it to be released shortly before the key Christmas window. Naturally, producing a smartphone with a rumored 7.3-inch foldable display is challenging, even though Samsung has had the technology available for some years now.
But there’s a big difference between having a prototype technology, and delivering it in a commercial product in a viable and durable way. Samsung executives will not need to be reminded about the disaster of the exploding Galaxy Note 7. And having resurrected the image and fortunes of the company since then will be determined to avoid any further damaging headlines.
And although this Galaxy X leak once again indicates that Samsung is working hard on developing its foldable smartphone, the specifications and features of the device are far from clear. Samsung has refrained from releasing any explicit information about the smartphone, other than the fact that the screen is foldable, while it has also neglected to respond to any reports or leaks pertaining to the device.
Indeed, Galaxy X can be considered a placeholder for this device, as the branding of this foldable smartphone has not been released publicly. What is certain is that Samsung is completely committed to the concept of the Galaxy X, having emphasized recently that it will still release a foldable smartphone at some point in the next eighteen months, even if technical difficulties do delay the release of the proposed Galaxy X.
CES meeting
Another Galaxy X leak from Korea suggested that Samsung had intended to introduce a foldable handset at the Consumer Electronics Show at a private meeting. But the validity of this report must be questioned now that Samsung has explicitly told the press that the Galaxy X will be delayed.
Nonetheless, a source close to a Samsung expanded on this Galaxy X leak, stating that “Samsung Display said it has developed a 7.3-inch foldable panel with plans to start production later this year”.
If this is the case then it definitely goes against the grain of Samsung’s public statements. Mobile chief Koh Dong-jin claim that there is no specific launch date set for the mobile as of yet. “It’s difficult to talk about the date of the launch now. We want to unveil the products properly but now seems a bit early,” he said. “We want to have a good reaction from customers once the phone is out in the market. But there are still durability issues that we need to address,” Koh asserted.
Busy year
Should the Galaxy X leak indicate that the smartphone is released in 2018, it will undoubtedly be an extremely busy year for Samsung. Not only will the Korean Corporation be overseeing its first ever foldable handset, but it will also have to produce a Galaxy S line that responds to the hugely popular iPhone X from Apple, and deliver a Galaxy Note 9 that is still sufficiently different from its Galaxy S flagship in order to attract consumers.
It is certainly a difficult proposition for Samsung to produce three premium smartphones, crammed with the sort of specs that we expect from the Korean corporation’s products, and also sufficiently differentiate them from one another. Whether this can be achieved in 2018 remains to be seen, but what is certain is that it should be an exciting twelve months for Android and Samsung followers.
