The rumor mill can't seem to decide when Samsung is going to release its foldable smartphone. For the past few days it's being said that the foldable smartphone, referred to as the Galaxy X, is going to be released in the third quarter of this year. The latest news out of South Korea suggests that Samsung is not going to release the Galaxy X before the first half of 2018.
Unnamed industry sources cited in the report claim that the foldable smartphone tentatively called Galaxy X is likely to be released in the first half of 2018. The estimate is based on product development and mass production plans as well as the production of polyimide film.
Polyimide film is going to be a key component in foldable smartphones. It has a high heat resistance and can remain stable across a wide range of temperatures. It's a thin and flexible material that's going to be a core component in flexible devices.
Kolon Industries is believed to be preparing to mass produce polyimide films in South Korea. It's said to complete the construction of its production facilities and start mass production of the films in the first half of next year. Kolon Industries is said to be a parts supplier for Samsung's foldable smartphones. When you consider that it takes up to three months to mass produce and supply components, it becomes easy to understand that the foldable smartphone might not see a commercial launch by the end of the first quarter or early second quarter next year.
Recent rumors suggest that the Galaxy X is going to be a 5-inch smartphone that's going to fold out and transform into a 7-inch tablet. Samsung is expected to initially roll out 100,000 units of this experimental device to gauge market reaction before it decides whether or not it should continue with the foldable smartphone.
