Although foldable handsets made up only 0.5 percent of overall smartphone sales in 2021 according to analytics firm IDC, the growth within the segment was quite impressive, with sales climbing a staggering 264 percent year-over-year to 7.1 million units. Chinese company vivo wants in on the action and will likely release its first bendable phone, the X Fold, later this month.
Foldable smartphones revenue increased 342 percent year-on-year in Q4 2021 to $5.8 billion and Samsung accounted for 92 percent of it, according to DSCC. Compared to its first-gen foldables, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Flip 3 are a huge improvement, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. For instance, Fold 3’s main display still has a crease and there is also a gap at the hinge when it’s folded.
The phone will have better cameras, which would be a biggie considering even the best foldable phones do not have impressive camera specs. The phone is also expected to have a better cover display aspect ratio, which again would be a plus point because not everyone likes Z Fold 3’s tall and slim front screen. The X Fold is also likely to have a more reliable fingerprint reader.
On top of that, the phone could feature a water drop hinge that may help with thickness and crease formation. On the flip side, it may not be as durable as Samsung’s hinge.
Firstly, the handset is unlikely to have an under-panel camera. Granted, the Z Fold 3’s under-display camera is not all that impressive, but it’s still a cutting-edge feature and also gives the illusion of a seamless screen, provided you are not looking too closely. Secondly, X Fold’s display might not be as good as Fold 3’s power-efficient Eco 2 OLED panel.
Other than that there is also the question of production volume, price, and availability. Samsung has now scaled up production and this has allowed the South Korean company to lower the price of its bendable handsets. The vivo X Fold, on the other hand, will likely be produced in limited quantities and may be prohibitively priced.
If earlier reports are to be believed, the X Fold will be a Z Fold 3-style phone with an 8.03-inches 120Hz inner screen and a 6.5-inch cover display. The device will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip and will pack a 4,600mAh battery. vivo has begun teasing the device and may unveil it formally on March 28.
