Key Takeaways
- Samsung may release a 12.4-inch rollable phone in 2025, aiming to lead the innovation race in the smartphone market.
- Previous prototypes from Oppo, LG, and Motorola have yet to hit the market, leaving Samsung to potentially be the first, considering that it has the resources and the urgent need to recapture the market dominance it is losing.
- Samsung’s latest foldables aren’t selling as well as the company had expected, and the South Korean tech giant aims to conduct mass layoffs this year.
Samsung, in no way, was the first company to manufacture a foldable phone, but it sure brought the technology to the mainstream smartphone market with the 2019 Galaxy Fold. The original flip Razr’s influence isn’t to be discredited — but we’re focusing more on the big screen book-style foldable tech, and not the clamshell-style design.
Now, the South Korean tech giant reportedly has its eyes set on developing the first rollable phone, complete with one of the largest displays on a smartphone, shortly after losing to Huawei in the triple-folding department.
The information, which comes straight out of Korea via TheElec, suggests that the next major smartphone innovation from Samsung could come in the second half of 2025, featuring a 12.4-inch display when completely unfolded unfurled. Similar to the triple-screen concept that Huawei materialized with the Mate XT, the rollable phone idea isn’t new — though it has remained elusive, and hasn’t made its way to consumers just yet.
Back in 2020, Oppo showed off a concept rolling device named the Oppo X 2021 that could be unrolled to any size between 6.7-inches and 7.40-inches. Subsequently, we got a look at late-stage prototype of LG’s rollable iteration in 2022, but it was too late for the manufacturer as it had already shuttered its smartphone operation.
Motorola came out with its concept Rizr rollable in 2023, followed by Tecno’s Phantom Ultimate concept almost a year ago.
Samsung’s desperation for a win might fuel innovation
None of the concepts have actually materialized into commercially available devices, setting Samsung up to be the first one with a rollable device, considering that it has the necessary resources and the urgent need to recapture the market dominance it is losing to brands like Honor, Huawei and OnePlus.
A rollable that actually makes its way to international markets, that too as soon as the reported 2025 timeline, would be a major win for Samsung, especially because its latest foldables don’t seem to be selling too well.
Elsewhere, TheElec’s report also indicates that the South Korean tech giant is in a serious cost-cutting mode. We already know that Samsung is planning a massive round of layoff that it describes as routine and aimed at boosting efficiency. However, sources familiar with the matter suggest that the cuts could be related to the tech giant anticipating a global slowdown in demand for tech products.
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