Samsung has finally unveiled there foldable smartphone called the Samsung Fold. The announcement ushers a new era in smartphone technology, with many manufacturers rumored to be releasing their own foldable smartphones.  Even though this the first generation of foldable smartphones, however brings in a lot of potential and applications that it could be used for in the future.  

Current Applications

At the moment foldable display technology is in its infancy with its current application being in smartphones allowing the devices to transform from smartphone to tablet, bridging the gap between the two device types. In this current moment in time, the foldable smartphones only can fold one way and the devices themselves are thick especially when they are incorporating separate batteries or needs a section to house all the electronics/cameras.

Huawei Mate X

Samsung Galaxy Fold

Future Applications

As the technology gets refined, the display technology will be able to thinner and more responsive when switching from one view to another. The design philosophy will be refined as more alliterations come through. Foldable smartphones can be enhanced further with the see-through display, which will improve augmented reality experience like the clear television with 50% opacity that LG is developing. The folded display could aid in the development of displays that be made into any shape and may pave further development into wearables which kicked off years ago however the hype has died down in recent years.  As the technology further develops, potentially it could pave way for adaptable displays that cater to the media content or user, an example of this is the LG rollable tv that adjusts its height according to the content that is displayed on the screen. Even the folding display technology has just kicked off it has allowed manufacturers to change the smartphone market in a time where most smartphone designs look the same and the improvements of functions have reached its limit with our current technology limitations.