Foldable phones are the new hotness in the Android world, and it appears we could see a flood of new devices launch this year, starting in the third quarter. DigiTimes reports that besides Samsung’s new Galaxy Fold and Flip devices, we could see Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo all launch new foldable phons in 2021.
Samsung is reportedly planning to release the Galaxy Z Fold 3 sometime this July. It will serve as the company’s big flagship smartphone launch for the second half of the year. Samsung reportedly confirmed that a new entry in its Galaxy Note line will not be released in 2021. The smaller Galaxy Z Flip 2 is also expected to launch in July.
DigiTimes also reports that Xiaomi plans to launch new foldable phones later this year. Details about those devices were not revealed, but they are expected to cost less than the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold, which launched earlier this year and had a starting cost of 9,999 yuan (~$1,521) in China.
Read more: The best foldable phones you can buy
In late 2020, Oppo revealed a concept phone, the Oppo X 2021, that included a rollable display that expands the phone’s screen from 6.7 inches to 7.4 inches. At the time, Oppo told Android Authority there were no plans to make a commercial version of this concept anytime soon. However, DigiTimes now claims Oppo is preparing a phone with a rollable display for a launch sometime in the second half of 2021. The article also mentions Vivo launching a new foldable phone this year but offered no other details. A recent rumor claims Vivo is working on a clamshell foldable phone similar to the Galaxy S Flip, with a 7-inch main display that folds into a small 2-inch display when closed.
