The next trend in the mobile phone market is already available in Brazil. Samsung launched, this Friday (17), the Galaxy Fold, a smartphone with a foldable screen. The smartphone can be used folded or unfolded, where it approaches the size of a tablet.
The Galaxy Fold will retail for 13,000 reais. Among its highlights, the screen allows up to three apps to be used simultaneously and features six cameras. This is the first device of its kind available for purchase in the country.
There are very few models available for purchase worldwide. Besides Samsung, only Huawei and Motorola have released their own versions. Huawei launched the Mate X, while Motorola reimagined the Razr to incorporate the new technology. There is no market consensus: the Galaxy Fold and the Mate X fold their screens vertically, unlike the Razr, where the fold is horizontal.
There is also no consensus on pricing: $1,980 for the Galaxy Fold (which converted to 13,000 reais in Brazil), $2,600 for the Huawei model, and $1,500 for the Motorola. Other companies, such as Google and Apple, are still in the patent registration and prototype phase.
In the case of Apple, the smartphone could fold the screen two to three times. Google, in turn,
has been working on foldable displays for some time, though no further details or announcements are expected in the near future. This is, above all, a market still fraught with uncertainty — for companies and consumers alike.
Samsung, for example, was required to make changes to its device after tests conducted by journalists revealed flaws in the Galaxy Fold before the product became available for public purchase.
The company appears to have learned from the experience — and the vulnerabilities — of this new class of phones. In Brazil, the 13,000-reais investment may be steep, but it does not come without guarantees. On the contrary: buyers will have exclusive access to a team of specialists available 24/7 to resolve any issues.
What about you — were you already familiar with this new class of smartphones? Do you believe it will become a successful market, or is it an idea destined to be forgotten?