Huawei claims its foldable phone will make laptops a thing of the past

Huawei, as we all know is working on its version of a foldable smartphone. The company is expected to unveil the device by the end of this year. Now, company CEO, Richard Yu has gone on record to say that their foldable smartphones will make laptops obsolete.

In a recent interview with German outlet Die Welt, Mr. Yu said are still reliant on laptops due to the small screens of their smartphones. However, a bendable phone would have the advantage of providing more screen space while keeping the form factor small. Yu also confirmed that the company will commercialize such a device in less than a year, the industry veteran said.

If the new reports are to believed, Huawei might announce its first foldable display phone by the end of 2018, though Mr. Yu's latest comments on the matter hint towards a 2019 launch. While Samsung is expected to launch the first consumer-grade foldable phone, the two rivals are likely to display radically different smartphones.

While Yu is talking about making the laptops obsolete, Samsung's mobile chief DJ Koh recently said that the company plans on using flexible screens and related technologies to create an entirely new line of smartphones, but doesn't plan on making a laptop alternative. We still don't have a clear picture on how both smartphones will shape up, though Samsung is expected to unveil the device in November this year.

Rumor has it that Xiaomi has already started the development of its own foldable smartphone. The company is said to be working with the suppliers. Unlike, Samsung and Huawei which have in-folding designs for their devices, Xiaomi's version will have an outward folding design. What remains unclear is how the company would choose to price the device.

While Samsung's device could cost up to $2,000, Xiaomi has committed to a maximum profit margin of 5% on its smartphones. This could mean that Xiaomi can significantly undercut its contemporaries.

Besides, Oppo is also said to jump on the bandwagon soon, however, no specific timeframe has been provided. While there is no information about the existence of these devices, numerous recent patents hint towards what is expected from the companies.