Samsung to help Google, Xiaomi, and Oppo to develop foldable phones with OLED panels

Recently, Samsung announced that it has joined the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) to lead ESG value management. Now, a Korean media report suggests that Samsung Display is working to supply foldable OLED panels to Gooogle, Xiaomi, and Oppo. And, their foldable phones will be launched within 2021.

Xiaomi revealed a 7.92-inch screen prototype developed in cooperation with Visionox. Meanwhile, the company aimed to develop an 8.03 inches foldable panel along with its external screen size of 6.38 inches this year. Previously, the panel was jointly developed by Samsung Display and China Star Optoelectronics.

It is worth mentioning that the outer folding method is easier to ensure the curvature required for panel folding but it is too sensitive to external damage. That’s why it looks like, Xiaomi is also moving from outward foldable to inward foldable smartphones.

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Although Samsung Display is a leader in this field, Chinese display makers including BOE, Huaxing Optoelectronics, and Visionox are also developing their own foldable panels for Chinese smartphone manufacturers. Besides, Google asked Samsung Display to develop a foldable OLED panel with a size of about 7.6 inches.

On the other hand, the OLED panel delivered to Oppo can be folded from top to bottom and is a clamshell design with internal folding. Moreover, while unfolded, its size is 7.7 inches, and the size of the external screen is between 1.5 and 2 inches, larger than the Galaxy Z Flip that was launched last year.

Back in 2020, Oppo introduced a 7.7-inch external foldable phone prototype in collaboration with Samsung Display, BOE, and Visionox. However, the Korean tech giant will exclusively supply foldable screens to Oppo this year.

Also, there are a bunch of foldable phones planned to be unveiled this year from several OEMs. It will be interesting to see, what the phone makers will offer with their respective foldable phones in order to capture a large amount of the market share.