This time of year we receive a flurry of leaks regarding the next year’s worth of smartphone developments. While Apple has been in the news with their most recent developments, Samsung has headlined more than once with their new offerings.
Samsung has either accepted or not denied previous leaks regarding products. However, Samsung has hit the headlines with another flurry of news.
Namely, Samsung will release a previously inaccessible mid-range tablet and phone to the US market. And, for those individuals who have been waiting since the initial whisper in 2013, new reports state Samsung’s foldable phone will be released at the end of 2018.
So, what is the newest in Samsung news, and does it matter at this point?
Galaxy A6
Straight out, Galaxy A6 is not going to blow away competition. The OS is Android’s 8.0 Oreo, and the 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expendable storage will not make premium phone buyers excited. Nor will the 1.6GHz Exynos 7884 chip.
However, Samsung has decked this phone with 5.6-inch 1,480x720 display and a large 3,000mAh battery. With the hardware contained in this phone, that battery could last all day. Not to mention, the camera on this phone far exceeds the standard mid-range camera.
Both the rear and front cameras boast 16 megapixels.
While the OS is on the way to outdated and the operating power of the phone is nominal, the cameras far outshine any other phone in this range. The estimated price will be $360 for an unlocked A6, as carriers will receive them after the phone’s initial release.
Samsung Tab A
Similarly, the Tab A is a mid-range tablet featuring a 10.5 inch screen using 1.8GHz Snapdragon 450 chip, 3GB RAM, and 32GB of storage. Again, not exactly competition for iPad or Samsung’s premium lineup.
However, the 1,920x1,200 display and 7,300mAh battery make this tablet ideal for portable movie watching. Likewise, this is a great option for those who do not need laptop capabilities in a tablet.
The price for this tablet looks to be approximately $330.
Galaxy X
Finally, there have been whispers that Samsung’s long-awaited foldable phone will be released in late 2018. According to an interview, the Galaxy X might make it's debut at Samsung's developer conference in November.
Additionally, rather than release the Galaxy X as a targeted market release, newest reports state Samsung is looking to do a large, full scale roll out.
For techies, this news is exciting as Samsung initially proposed a foldable screen in 2013. Though they were beat out by ZTE’s foldable phone, which boasts two screens that become a larger screen, Samsung has held steady on having a truly foldable OLED screen.
Unfortunately, the rumors do not have much information regarding specifications or design. There is still very little known about what the foldable phone will look like. Nor do we know how it will operate and with what operating power. There have been rumors regarding a gaming phone, which the large 7” screen would be ideal, but no confirmations this is related to the foldable phone.
Trends of foldable screens
While many in smartphone technology have been watching Samsung’s bid for foldable phones, the timing of the Galaxy X might be more about adoption and market pressure.
Namely, the IFA conference hosted last week boasted a round screen for a smartphone watch. Also displayed was a rolling tablet/phone prototype, representing a screen that could be extended depending if the user wanted phone or tablet capabilities. Even the television game is getting into rolling and foldable screens, as LG displayed an OLED screen that can be rolled and unrolled for viewing.
At this point, whether Samsung is ready or not, they might need to release their phone to be first in the market. After all, Samsung’s strategy has been to advance technology faster than their competitors.
However, the question remains if consumers are ready for foldable smartphones. Due to technology and production, the Galaxy X has an approximate price tag of $1,850.
The reality of smartphones is the average user does not use the capabilities currently existing in their premium phones. It’s unlikely many will grab onto the newest technology merely for the sake of having something new.
Then again, Samsung has a sense of timing. Apple has filed it's own patent for a foldable screen. Also, the Note took the smartphone world by storm, despite critics and naysayers. Samsung might have another hard punch to the competition in their Galaxy X.