First came flip-phones, then came smartphones. Now, we might finally get our hands on a foldable smartphone.
Samsung is reportedly set to unveil its prototype, bendy handset in the third quarter of this year.
According to ET News, only a few thousand devices will be produced at first and they will be reserved for mobile network providers to assess demand.
But, all going well, the phones could be rolled out for a consumer launch in 2018, the tech site reported.
The story lends weight to a previous report from the Korea Herald, which said the phone would be unveiled this autumn.
The smartphone’s panels would face outwards when it’s folded and could be used as a 7-inch tablet when it’s not, the paper reported.
Samsung unveiled a flexible smartphone at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2013 and rumours of a release have circulated ever since.
Back in November, it was revealed that the firm had patented a design for a foldable smartphone with a long, narrow handset and a flexible seam.
There’s no guarantee it will resemble the final product, but given it can close semi-automatically, we really hope it does.