You may believe foldable devices are a fad, but tech companies don’t seem to agree.
As we sprint towards the spring of a new year, it’s time to take stock of what foldable devices we can expect to see in 2023. There are plenty of far-out concepts and such out there, but today we’re focusing on devices that might actually make it into consumers’ hands this year. Companies like Samsung, Google, and maybe even Apple have all been tied to new foldable devices.
Without wasting any more time, here are the big foldable devices you can realistically expect to see in 2023.
Oppo Find N2 Flip
Our first foldable is one that’s actually already out in most of the world. Chinese tech giant Oppo released its Find N2 Flip phone “globally” in February, but “globally” doesn’t include North America. Sadly, there’s no indication this phone will come stateside just yet.
Still, it looks pretty cool. It’s a clamshell style foldable a la the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, with a sizable 3.26-inch cover screen on the outside to show you notifications and whatnot while the phone is closed. Unfold the Find N2 and you’ll unveil a 6.8-inch, 120Hz display.
Sadly, for now, all we can do in North America is sit and stare at a phone we can’t buy.
Motorola Razr
Now we’re in somewhat speculative territory. Motorola confirmed just this week to CNBC that it would release a new version of the foldable Razr in 2023.
And that’s about it. No other details were given about how the phone would improve upon its predecessors. Motorola updated the Razr with a bigger display last year, but that version was only released in Europe and China. The first foldable Razr was a big disappointment at the time, as our review unit quickly started making a wholly unpleasant noise every time you folded the phone.
There aren't a great deal of reliable leaks about the new Razr to chew on, either. Prolific leaker Evan Blass (as spotted by TechRadar) reported back in February that the new Razr would have an exterior display that almost takes up the entire outer face of the phone, which would be a big step up from before. Exterior displays on clamshell foldables haven't quite lived up to their potential in terms of usefulness, so more size is always welcome.
Hopefully the new Razr avoids the pitfalls of its predecessors and actually comes to the states this time. Since the last update happened in August of 2022, it might be reasonable to expect a similar timeframe for the new Razr.
OnePlus
OnePlus is in the same boat as Motorola, in that we know a phone is coming, but don’t know anything about it.
The subsidiary of Oppo confirmed earlier this week that it will launch its first foldable in 2023, but declined to share any other concrete details. The company said it wants the phone to be sleek and fast, though I imagine most phone companies would say the same about their products.
We’ll just have to wait and see on this one. Sadly, we don't know yet when we'll see the OnePlus foldable. It might have to wait until the second half of 2023.
Samsung Galaxy foldables
One thing we can be a lot more sure about is Samsung’s commitment to the foldable game. After all, it’s been one of the only companies to not only launch multiple foldable devices, but keep upgrading them on an annual basis until they actually became pretty good to use.
Last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 (that’s the one that’s like a small tablet) and Z Flip 4 (that’s the one that’s a clamshell) were both quality devices that found their own niches in the phone market. We can almost certainly expect updates to both phones later this year, most likely around August.
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Leaks point to a bigger outside cover screen and improved inside crease for the Z Flip 5. Aside from that, one can reasonably expect camera and processor improvements to both phones.
But wait, there’s more! Samsung (allegedly) isn’t done yet. Samsung has been rumored to be working on a foldable tablet for a couple of years now, and a leak spotted by 9to5Google late last year suggested it could come out in the first half of 2023. Maybe there will be a third device in the Samsung foldable family this August.
Pixel Fold?
Now we’re in the “we’ve been hearing about it for so long that it should really come out this year” portion of the list. First up is Google’s rumored Pixel Fold device.
Rumors first started circulating all the way back in 2021 that Google was exploring a foldable Pixel, but Google hasn’t formally announced it yet. Last year, Front Page Tech shared leaked renders that purported to show the phone’s design. It looks similar to the Galaxy Z Fold, as it has roughly the shape of a normal smartphone while closed, and looks more like a small tablet while open. It also might cost $1,800.
Additional reporting from 9to5Google suggests that it will be heavier than the Z Fold 4, but will also have a larger battery. If these rumors are to be believed, we could see the Pixel Fold as early as May at Google I/O. A recent New York Times report also backed up the notion that the Pixel Fold could come out this year, so watch out, folks.
Apple?
When it comes to innovative tech, everyone’s eyes are always on Apple. When will the folks in Cupertino embrace foldable displays, and how will they put their stamp on the idea?
We don’t know that for sure just yet, but rumors suggest that Apple is working on at least one foldable device right now. Reputable analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo have alleged that Apple is working on a foldable iPhone, but it could be the far-flung future of 2025 before it actually comes out. It could also be some kind of hybrid phone/tablet.
Or, Apple could make both a foldable iPhone and a foldable iPad. Kuo has separately stated that a foldable iPad may be in the works, but a 2023 launch is not set in stone. It could be early 2024 before we see that.
Still, Apple fanatics can rest assured that a foldable device is probably on the way.
A Microsoft foldable?
Last but not least, Microsoft is apparently working on a foldable device of its own. More specifically, it’s taking a previous device that wasn’t foldable and making it foldable.
Windows Central reported in January that the next evolution of the Surface Duo device line will have a real foldable display, with a 180-degree hinge and another, smaller display on the outside of the device. Previous iterations of the Surface
Duo worked similarly to something like the Galaxy Z Fold, but there were actually two entirely separate screens with some space in between them, rather than one screen that folded.
And now for the bad news: Microsoft reportedly scrapped plans for another two-screen phone in order to make this new foldable version happen, which means that it might not see the light of day until 2024. Anything is possible, but don’t get your hopes up, Windows-heads.
