What They Say
TCL has got a long way towards making a folding phone, but told the Verge that it saw an opportunity for the category. However, it is not currently able to bring it to market at a price that could make it accessible ‘to as many consumers as possible’.
The firm has made some samples available and a Youtube reviewer got hold of one. The project, code named ‘Chicago’. It rates the phone as bigger and heavier than the Samsung Galaxy Flip 3 but with an inferior display. The reviewer suggests that that phone seems to be inspired by the earlier Flip versions. It might have sold between $700 and $900, perhaps $799, but TCL said that if someone can spend $800, they can spend $1000. Carriers are also more interested in 5G than folding at the moment.
Android Police published the specification details below.
What We Think
The smartphone was clearly unfinished, with comments from the reviewer that the hinge didn’t seem fully engineered. That’s potentially a big issue and not just a bit of ‘last minute tweaking’. Samsung’s new pricing on the Z Flip 3 combined with the high quality execution of the product has really made life difficult for competitors who will have to get ‘clear blue water’ between themselves and Samsung in pricing terms. That will make the market look less attractive than it might have.
Apple has shown with the iPad that if you can introduce a product that is good and functional and keep entry level products affordable, you can dominate markets for a long time. (BR)
