It’s an intriguing form factor – one that’s already alleged to show up in the rumored Motorola RAZR phone next month. By folding vertically rather than horizontally, the device is able to maintain a more typical smartphone size and aspect ratio when open. This should make the device more familiar to use and provide a more comfortable aspect ratio for watching movies. But once folded, it takes up a smaller footprint.
— Samsung US Newsroom (@SamsungNewsUS) October 29, 2019 It seems like it could provide a good compromise between the Galaxy Fold’s productivity and a traditional phone’s comfort and familiarity, though Samsung teased some new functionality too, such as folding the phone halfway to prop the camera up during a stream. Because the screen appears to be smaller than the normal Galaxy Fold’s, it could come at a lower price point too.
Unfortunately, Samsung didn’t do much else beyond teasing. There’s no word on when we’ll hear more about the device, or even confirmation on whether it’ll ever come to fruition; Samsung says it’s ‘exploring’ new form factors. Still, considering the company was encouraging developers to make their apps ready for the new folding mechanism, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it pop up in the next year or two.
