![Less Than 2 million Foldable Smartphones Expected to Ship This Year](https://cdrinfo.com/d7/system/files/styles/siteberty_image_770x484/private/new_site_image/folding%20phones.jpg?itok=6Gk8H0Qa)
Less Than 2 million Foldable Smartphones Expected to Ship This Year
Foldable phones have arrived, in the shape of the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X, but 2019 is not expected to be the year that foldable phones go mainstream.
The new offerings will most propbably remain exclusively ultra-luxury devices, and market research firm Canalys expects fewer than 2 million foldable phones will ship worldwide in 2019.
“Foldable phones are now in mass production, and vendors have set realistic expectations for their sales performance,” said Canalys Senior Director Nicole Peng. “Samsung and Huawei will account for the majority of foldable smartphones shipped in 2019. But high shipment numbers are not the priority. The goal is to capture consumer awareness, and each vendor wants to prove it can achieve the greatest technological advances with its new industrial designs.”
“Cost is the key factor that will hinder adoption,” said Canalys Senior Analyst Ben Stanton. “The ‘fold-out’ design (with the screen on the outside, as used on the Mate X) will eventually lend itself to cheaper devices, as manufacturers won’t need to include as many cameras, nor a second ‘outside’ screen (which the Samsung has), and the bend on the flexible screen won’t need to be as tight. But these devices will come too late to affect this year’s shipment numbers significantly. In 2019, vendors offering foldable phones must ensure excellent quality and durability. Any early teething problems or breakages will sour the foldable form-factor before it has had a chance to get going.”
Huawei Mate X |
Samsung Galaxy Fold |
|
Folding features | There is only one screen, and it wraps around the phone when it is folded mode. Before unfolding there is a 6.6-inch front screen with a resolution of 2480 x 1148, and a rear display measuring 6.38 inches with a resolution of 2480 x 892. Unfolded, there is an 8-inch display with a 2480 x 2200 resolution. Completely flat screeen when expanded into 8-inch tablet mode. The two panels of Mate X close flush with each other and it is just 11mm thick. | Similar to 2 phones stuck together, it has a hinge system. When folded, there is a small 4.6-inch display with a resolution of 840 x 1960 and an aspect ratio of 21:9. Whan opened, the device like a book, and a larger 7.3-inch Infinity Flex Dynamic AMOLED panel is revealed inside. This has a resolution of 1536 x 2152, and an aspect ratio of 4.2:3. |
Starting price | $2,600 | $1,980 |
Screen size (unfolded) | 8-inch | 7.3 inches |
Resolution | 2480 x 2200 | 1536 x 2152 |
Density | 414 | 414 |
Processor | Kirin 980 1.8GHz octa-core (2x2.6GHz + 2x1.92GHz + 4x1.8GHz) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Octa-Core |
RAM | 8GB | 12GB |
Expandable storage up to (GB) | Up to 256GB | - |
Storage | 512GB | 512GB |
Battery | 4,500 mAh | 4,380 mAh |
OS | Android 9.0 | Android 9.0 |
Rear camera | Triple-cameras: Leica camera: 40 MP (Wide Angle Lens) + 16 MP (Ultra Wide Angle Lens) + 8 MP (Telephoto) |
Triple-cameras: 12 MP (standard), f/1.5-2.4, 26mm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, 12 MP (telephoto), f/2.4, 52mm, AF, OIS 16 MP (ultrawide), f/2.2, 12mm |
Front camera | Yes | 10 MP, f/2.2, PDAF 8 MP, f/1.9, depth sensor 10 MP, f/2.2 |
Bluetooth | v5.0 |
|
USB Type-C | Yes |
|
NFC | Yes |
|
Battery | 4500 mAh | 4380 mAh |
Fast charging | 55 W HUAWEI SuperCharge | Quick Charge 2.0 |
Dimensions | 10.8mm thick when folded 161.30 x 78.30 x 11.00 | 17mm thick when folded |
Weight | 295.00 | – |
SIM Type | Nano-SIM | |
Wireless Charging | – | Yes |
Special features | 8-inch foldable-display, side-mounted fingerprint sensor | 7.3-inch foldable-display, side-mounted fingerprint sensor |