Google Plans To Enter Foldable Segment With Smartphone, Tablet This Year

The foldable smartphone market is gaining traction. The segment is headed for tough competition from existing players. South Korean electronics giant Samsung commands a handsome share in the foldable device segment. Now, another tech giant is planning to venture into the market. Google is believed to be working on developing its own foldable devices. The company is working on the design of the foldable smartphone and other products. The devices are likely to hit the shelves sometime in the recent future. Reports say that Google could also launch a foldable tablet or netbook other than a smartphone. Google’s recent patent filing said that the new devices will come with a flexible display.

The display will be coupled to a housing member. This will make Google devices foldable or make them bend in a rotating manner. In some cases, the flexible display can face each other. It means that a part of the flexible display can be bent towards the portion that remains static. This causes outlined issues. To overcome this, Google is likely to include a hinge assembly. This mechanism will help resolve the outlined issues by transferring a rotational movement to a translational movement. The foldable device can be bent without having any damage or breakage. The new Google products are will be equipped with 5G support. Notably, Samsung leads in the foldable smartphone market. Google wants to capture the market as it grows.

Recently, Chinese giant Xiaomi introduced its first foldable device. The new smartphone is named Mi Mix Fold. It marked the entry of Xiaomi in the foldable segment where Samsung has a strong dominance. Samsung has already said that it will introduce four folding handsets in 2020. The company has claimed that it sold more foldable devices in 2020 than anyone. Buoyed by the growth, the company is now emphasizing more on foldable products. Samsung’s decision to launch new foldable smartphones will further solidify its hold in the market. Samsung is projected to capture more than 80 percent share in the foldable smartphone market. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold 2 were among the best-selling foldable devices in 2020.