Xiaomi, Oppo to take on Samsung, Huawei with their foldable phones

Huawei is reportedly working on the world's first foldable smartphone. This will then be followed by Samsung's smartphone which is currently referred to as the Galaxy F. What's more interesting is that these may not be the only foldable smartphones slated for launch in the near future.

If the new report is to be believed, 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.

Basically, 2019 could be the year of the foldable smartphones with at least four major smartphone makers have something exciting in the pipeline. And, if we take all the recent patents into consideration, the toll could rise to six thanks to LG and Motorola. What's certain is that these smartphones will come in limited quantities, and might later convert to huge numbers.

According to a report from ET Times, Huawei is aiming to unveil the new device in November. The report also adds that Huawei has opted for an "inward" folding mechanism, unlike Samsung who is said to be working on a "fold back" design.

The report further states that LG Display will be supplying the display panels to Huawei, instead of the biggest OLED player Samsung Display. It is still unclear whether the device will be available in big quantity, as Huawei might take cues from initial user feedback to shape up the production of the device.