There have been multiple rumours in recent times in regards to some upcoming foldables in Q4 of 2021, with big brands such as Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and the king of foldables, Samsung in the mix. Now, it seems that the preparations for this influx of foldable devices is underway, at least according to details that surfaced today. We have been hearing about reports for months, dating back to April in regards to Samsung and an upcoming foldable flurry that will make use of Samsung’s displays, with all of these devices expected to hit the market in late 2021. Now, details via a Korean news outlet seem to cement these claims. The Elec which is based out of Korea has reported that Samsung will soon start the production of foldable OLED panels for the likes of Google, Vivo, and Xiaomi in the month of October. The report adds that all of these three companies are planning to launch their foldable phones in Q4 of 2021. This report further reiterated earlier reports that hinted the Google foldable to include a 7.6-inch in-folding display, with no word on an external display as of now. In contrast, the Vivo foldable is tipped to arrive with an 8-inch “3.4:3” main screen coupled with a 6.5-inch outer panel.
What Does the Report Hint At?
There seems to be a lack of information and details in relation to Xiaomi’s next foldable, with The Elec only stating that Samsung is making the main screen and CSOT is working on the “accessory” screen. This accessory display hints at the possibility of a clamshell foldable instead of a tablet-sized foldable with a smartphone-like external screen. This does make more sense as Xiaomi currently offers a tablet-style device in the recently released Mi Mix Fold. The outlet also reported previously that the popular Chinese giant Oppo was working on a clamshell-style foldable, featuring a 7.7-inch main screen and a 1.5-inch to a 2-inch external display. But latest reports suggest that the device has been delayed to 2022. Regardless of whether or not Oppo intends to launch the foldable in 2021, the market will get heated up in the coming months, a much-needed change after quite some time of Samsung domination, especially due to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Z Flip, both of which, at the time of writing this article lead the field in their respective styles of foldables. With Xiaomi, one can expect the same competitive pricing that it has been known for, which might have both Samsung and Motorola’s attention, since they have had little to no competition in recent months.
