That's what we were all thinking as Samsung's Justin Denison whipped out a prototype folding smartphone. A phone that can open up to become a 7.3-inch tablet would be pretty handy when out and about. Like when writing on the go, or watching Netflix on a train or in a hotel room, for a start. A pocket-sized device that could double in size when required would be awfully handy.
But, the as-yet-nonexistent Samsung device that will carry its Infinity Flex Display could easily crash and burn. Purely on a technical level, its initial form is bulky as hell. This is in order to accommodate the display and its flexing hinge. The prototype that Denison showed off at Samsung's Developer Conference looked as bulky as a Nokia Communicator, anathema to users who love their svelte Galaxy S8s and S9s.
Why did the executive have to pull the phone out in total darkness? Perhaps the backlight is weak, or there's an issue with a power draw that would make extended use problematic. Powering a smaller 5-inch LCD and a 7.3-inch flexible OLED will take quite a lot of juice. At a guess, 4,000mAh is the smallest battery the phone could use, giving it parity with Samsung's other 7-inch tablets. It's also worth adding that a hinge, like any moving part, introduces a point of failure that you won't find on other mobile devices.
In the last few months, I've griped several times about how useful all-touch machines can be. Dual/all-screen laptops are still to be pretty unpleasant to do real work on, so Samsung had better offer a wireless keyboard and mouse as accessories. Doubling up on displays will also require more computing power and RAM, both of which will add to the price -- and size. I'd be surprised if this phone of the future doesn't retail for $1,500 given all of the technology it'll require.
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