In the next year, several folding smartphone models are expected. Samsung, LG, Huawei, and Oppo all appear to be presenting a folding phone at the beginning of 2019. Who is the first to turn on and how do the models look like? It is a question that is increasingly concerned with media.
Samsung showed its first foldable phone earlier this month at the Developers Conference. We will probably hear more about this revolutionary device at CES 2019 or MWC 2019. The LG foldable smartphone would also be announced at CES 2019 in early January. The first Huawei foldable smartphone seems to follow well over a month later on MWC 2019.
Oppo foldable smartphone on MWC 2019
The Chinese manufacturer Oppo obviously does not want to stay behind. Oppo and sister company Vivo (both parts of BBK Electronics, just like OnePlus ) have shown several firsts this year, such as the first full-screen smartphone, the first smartphone with an in-display fingerprint scanner and the first smartphone with a pop-up camera. Of course, the race of the folding smartphone does not want to miss the young company.
The smartphone manufacturer is also willing to pay more money for Research & Development. Next year Oppo is spending an increased by 150% to an amount equal to 10 billion RMB ‘converted over 1.26 billion euros, as announced earlier this week announced.
Chuck Wang, Product Manager of Oppo, has headquarters in Shenzhen to a limited group of Dutch journalists indicated that the first Oppo foldable smartphone will be presented at the MWC 2019. The Mobile World Congress 2019 takes place from 25 to 28 February, it is the world’s largest annual event for the mobile industry. Unfortunately, the product manager was not yet able to reveal information regarding the specs and the final release date of the first Oppo folding smartphone.
There is still a lot of uncertainty about the design. However, Oppo has applied for various patents over time. Earlier this year we came across a patent for a modern designed Oppo folding smartphone with a tablet design.
It is possible that Nokia technologies will also be processed. Earlier this week, Oppo announced through a message that the company has signed a patent license agreement with Nokia. This makes it possible for Oppo to use technologies that have been patented by Nokia for Oppo’s smartphone models. It is a multi-year agreement.
Oppo 5G smartphone
Furthermore, Wang reported that Oppo intends to release a smartphone in 2020 with a hole in the display for the selfie camera. Apparently, the Chinese manufacturer does not yet see any immediate need for this. Samsung and Huawei are expected to introduce the first smartphone in December 2018 with a selfie camera incorporated into the display. These are the Samsung Galaxy A8s with an Infinity-O display and the Huawei Nova 4 with a FullView-O display.
Wang managed to make even more revelations. For example, in the first half of 2019, Oppo will introduce a 5G smartphone in Europe. Presumably, this smartphone will be housed within the high-end Oppo Find series, logically it is the successor of the Find X. The Oppo Find X was introduced in June 2018, this was the first borderless smartphone from Oppo.
Huawei will also introduce a 5G smartphone in the first half of 2019. Huawei’s first 5G smartphone, however, is the folding smartphone, as was already known.
Sony foldable smartphone in development
Surprisingly, Wang also mentioned the ‘ Sony ‘ brand as one of the manufacturers working on a folding phone. From this manufacturer, we have so far heard very little when it comes to foldable and flexible smartphones. Perhaps this will change in 2019.
