South Korean electronics company, Samsung, is reportedly developing foldable OLED panels for tech giants like Google, Oppo and Xiaomi. We already know what Oppo and Xiaomi are working on foldable phones, but the inclusion of Google in this list comes as a surprise. If this report from TheElec turns out to be true, then we will see a foldable Pixel smartphone in the near future. Notably, Samsung is developing 'in-folding' OLED panels for the three manufacturers. The report also says the three brands will launch smartphones with these panels 'within this year.' The in-folding foldables will be similar to the Galaxy Z Flip and the Moto Razr. Earlier, we reported that Xiaomi would launch three foldable phones this year, with the first one said to launch by the end of Q1 2021.
Google Reportedly Asked Samsung to Develop 7.6-inch OLED Panel
Samsung is making different sized OLED panels for the three brands. Google has reportedly asked Samsung to develop a 7.6-inch in-folding OLED panel, whereas Oppo is looking for a 7.7-inch OLED panel. Last year, Oppo showcased a foldable smartphone with a 7.7-inch display when unfolded with the outer screen measuring 1.5 to 2-inches in size. To give a brief comparison, Samsung's clamshell in-folding Galaxy Z Flip has a 6.7-inch screen when unfolded.
Xiaomi, on the other hand, is said to be looking for an in-folding OLED panel of 8.03-inch. This model will be amongst the three foldable phones Xiaomi is planning to launch this year. Samsung Display is said to be the sole partner for Oppo and Google, while Xiaomi the panels for Xiaomi's phones are developed by Samsung Display and CSOT together.
Furthermore, it is said that more smartphone brands are opting for in-folding design over out-folding. The Huawei Mate X2 launched a couple of days ago also features an in-folding design, but the display panels are developed by BOE.
Google has been long rumoured to be working on a foldable phone and we are excited to see how this project shapes up. If everything goes as planned, the Pixel foldable phone will launch alongside the Pixel 6 series later this year.
