Samsung and Huawei collide again. Foldable screen mobile phones will be launched in September in a rush to block Apple?

During the 2019 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February, Samsung and Huawei successively released foldable screen mobile phones. With their new product form and high price, the foldable screen mobile phones attracted the attention of global technology media as soon as they were released.

The Samsung Galaxy Fold has a 7.3-inch screen when unfolded and a 4.6-inch screen when folded. Users can hold it with one hand. It weighs 263 grams, is 6.9 mm thick when unfolded, and 15-17 mm thick when folded. It is equipped with 6 cameras, an AP chip, and 12GB RAM. The official price of the Samsung Galaxy Fold is $1,980, or about 13,000 yuan.

Huawei Mate X uses an 8-inch OLED foldable display that folds outwards. When folded, the main screen is 6.6 inches. The 8GB+512GB version is priced at 2,299 euros (about 17,500 yuan).

Samsung Galaxy Fold was originally planned to be launched in the United States at the end of April, and then in other markets around the world. During the pre-sale period in the United States, the number of consumers who wanted to try it out exceeded Samsung's planned supply, so the Galaxy Fold was fully booked in the United States in just one day, forcing Samsung to close the pre-order in advance.

However, before the Galaxy Fold was launched, some reviewers reported in the media that the phone had screen flickering, black screen, and damage just two days after purchase. Subsequently, Samsung announced the postponement of the Galaxy Fold's launch.

Until July 25, Samsung announced that it had solved the durability problem and improved the design of Galaxy Fold. The improved Galaxy Fold uses a new protective cover to resist dust and other particles, strengthen the protection of the screen, and also uses an additional metal layer to protect the device from pressure shock. In addition to fixing the screen failure, Samsung said it has also upgraded the user experience of this new phone by optimizing more applications and services. Currently, Samsung is conducting final product testing and will launch it to consumers in some markets starting in September.

"Now, with Galaxy Fold, you can review a chart while making a video call and checking information at the same time," Samsung said. "Galaxy Fold completely reshapes the smartphone, changing the way you interact, communicate and experience your daily life."

After Samsung Galaxy Fold was delayed, some consumers turned to Huawei to try out foldable phones. However, similar to Samsung, Huawei Mate X, which was originally scheduled to be launched in mid-June, was also postponed for some reason. Huawei said that the company is conducting additional tests on the device with operators and developers, and will officially start selling it in September.

Recently, some media reported that Huawei Mate X has obvious differences from when it was first released. The number of cameras on the back has increased to 4, a red line has been added in the middle of the button to unfold the screen, and the material covering the hinge is also suspected to be upgraded to carbon fiber. In addition, Huawei Mate X will be equipped with Balong 5000 baseband chip and fully support 5G network. The starting price in China is expected to be less than 10,000 yuan, with 6GB+128GB priced at 9,999 yuan, while the other two versions are expected to be priced at around 12,000 yuan and 14,000 yuan.

Samsung and Huawei team up to block Apple?

Some analysts believe that it is no coincidence that Samsung and Huawei's foldable screen mobile phones are launched at the same time.

"It's interesting that Samsung and Huawei have once again chosen September as the launch date for their respective foldable phones," said Joey Yen, an analyst at market research firm IDC. "(But) this is part of their plan to launch a new round of marketing offensive before the launch of this year's new iPhone phones, although not foldable phones."

Apple is expected to release the latest iPhone this fall. Some foreign media predict that Apple will release the latest mobile phone product in September, and the specific time may be September 10. The new iPhone is expected to adopt a three-camera design behind the screen, and the augmented reality function will be one of the biggest highlights. The new iPhone will also have a better waterproof design and can be used even underwater. The phone's camera can also automatically determine whether the use environment is underwater and change the settings accordingly, making the photos taken by the phone underwater look more beautiful.

Foreign media analyzed that the launch of foldable screen mobile phones will intensify competition in the increasingly mature global smartphone market.

According to data from Counterpoint Research, Samsung is the world's largest smartphone manufacturer. In the first quarter, Samsung's smartphone shipments accounted for 21% of the global market share. Huawei followed closely behind with a share of 17%, and Apple ranked third with a share of 12%.

However, there is still controversy in the industry as to whether or to what extent foldable phones will rewrite the mobile phone market. Putting aside the product reliability and user experience itself, the supply capacity of foldable phones is still a test, especially as Samsung is affected by the Japan-South Korea trade war, and there is still uncertainty as to whether it can mass-produce foldable phones.

Some analysts believe that Japan's export restrictions on South Korea may affect the production of the Galaxy Fold because Japan's Sumitomo Chemical supplies a key display production material to Samsung. The Japanese government imposed export restrictions on South Korea in early July, requiring domestic suppliers in Japan to obtain official permission when exporting high-purity hydrogen fluoride, photoresist and polyimide to South Korea. These three materials are important raw materials for the production of chips and display panels.

"The final product that may be affected is Samsung's Galaxy Fold smartphone. The display of Samsung Galaxy Fold is produced using fluorinated polyimide film from Japanese electronic materials company Sumitomo Chemical," said Tadashi Uno, research director of display business at market research firm IHS Markit, but Samsung also has alternative options to replace Sumitomo Chemical. South Korea's Kolon Industries can serve as an alternative supplier of raw materials for Samsung's foldable mobile phone displays.

Whether it is the foldable screen mobile phone that is about to be released, or the new Apple iPhone that is about to be unveiled, September will be a season when new mobile phones are launched in large numbers. For those consumers who want to change their mobile phones, it may take some more thought to weigh which device to buy.