Huawei reportedly wants to stay ahead of the curve by releasing a foldable smartphone before Samsung. Even though Samsung Display gives its parent company a massive edge over Huawei when it comes to ’state of the art’ display manufacturing sources, Huawei doesn’t seem to be deterred by this. It is procuring flexible OLED panels from a close Chinese partner but aims to release a limited of units, which is the same approach that Samsung was reportedly going for.
Huawei Might Be Seeking the Assistance of BOE, a Chinese OLED Manufacturer That Is Also in Line to Provide Apple With Screen Tech for Its iPhones
Although Beijing Oriental Electronics, or BOE isn’t a familiar name, the company has made significant leaps in OLED production and innovation in recent times. BOE has already demoed some of its foldable handset-cum-tablets prototypes and this makes the company an ideal supply chain partner for Huawei.
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Huawei has a thing for clinching the title of being the first to do things. In 2014, the company released a limited edition Ascend P7 Sapphire when rumors were afloat that Apple will release an iPhone with a sapphire crystal display. The rumors proved to be false later down the road.
Additionally, Huawei also implemented Force Touch in a special variant of its Mate S in 2015, and this was done a few months before Apple introduced this technology in its iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. Huawei’s current plan to launch a limited number of foldable smartphones is a further proof of its obsession with the title of being the first in the industry
Aside from the aesthetics and portability, the benefits of foldable handsets are a few but making such phones is a tricky business. For example, folding mechanisms cannot only make phones thicker but also leave less room for fitting in the battery, which could be a problem as a larger screen will require more power. However, this problem can be mitigated with the use of foldable batteries, which Samsung is reportedly said to be developing for its own upcoming offering.
First-generation foldable devices might not be as refined as conventional smartphones. Problems could also surface on the software front as foldable devices will need an adaptable user interface which not only provides a unique experience but can also adapt according to the changes in form factor. Let’s hope that in the race to be the first to come out with foldable smartphones, Huawei will not make any compromises on design, quality, and functionality.
Source: Nikkei
