Samsung has plenty to say about the future of its devices at Samsung Developer Conference, but its biggest reveal came out in a video showing a new clamshell foldable phone design - which could be the future of the Samsung Galaxy Fold.
The video shows the concept was shown transitioning from the old Fold design (with a 'hot dog' centerline fold) to the new design, which took a Samsung Galaxy S10-style standard smartphone and folded it top-to-bottom ('hamburger' fold).
We've heard rumors that the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 could have a clamshell-style square design, but this is clearly a narrowly vertical smartphone in the modern fashion that folds on itself.
The rest of the conference focused on broader strategy, including further commitment to foldable devices like the Galaxy Fold, an expansion of its One UI, and even more plans for Bixby, Samsung detailed in a news brief.
Folding away the issues
After the debacle that has been the Galaxy Fold, it's almost a surprise to see the foldable handset actually on the market. But, a few bumps on the road haven't stopped Samsung.
At SDC, Samsung reiterated its commitment to developing foldable devices, and in the news release, Samsung specifically emphasized that it would "continue to explore a range of new form factors in the foldable category."
While that could mean larger foldable tablets in the future, the version teased seems to follow smaller devices along the lines of the expected foldable Motorola Razr 4.
One UI 2 in more than one place
Samsung introduced One UI for its smartphones last year, and it was a major shift in the look and feel of the software powering its devices. As phones have bloomed into monstrosities measuring well over six inches diagonally, Samsung set out to make one handed use easier with One UI.
We've had a positive experience using the clean, new interface on Samsung devices like the Galaxy Note 10 Plus. And, with One UI 2, Samsung looks to bring the simplicity and ease of use to tablets, wearables, and other devices like foldables.
More love for Bixby
Samsung launched the Bixby Marketplace earlier this year, and has seen the number of developers working on Bixby capabilities double in the past six months. Samsung is also trying to make it easier for developers to work on Bixby, adding templates they use a springboard to get a quicker start on making their Bixby Capsules (e.g., abilities).
Samsung also aims to make it easier for developers to design their capsules' appearance across different devices, and to give Bixby users easier ways to find new skills.
Samsung aims to have Bixby continue to grow alongside the number of developers, and will have it work with even more hardware from mobile to IoT devices.
Via SamMobile
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