Samsung Electronics suffered a major blow when it had to halt Galaxy Note 7 production - to both its reputation and its bottom line (reports say the company's profit will drop by over $5 billion following this incident). An interesting story from Business Korea says that Samsung Display is now under pressure to speed up foldable OLED development.
Foldable OLEDs may prove to be highly successful - if these displays will enable novel devices. Samsung is said to develop two foldable OLED mobile phone designs at the first stage - a smartphone that opens into a tablet and a small phone that opens into a smartphone-sized device.
Several reports suggested that Samsung aims to release its first foldable phone in 2017, but in August 2016 Samsung Electronics Mobile Communications Business President Koh Dong-Jin said that the company "needs more time" to actually bring foldable smartphones to the market. The major challenges, according to Dong-Jin are in the software and user interfaces. In any case it is obviously a huge undertaking by Samsung so even if the company is now accelerating its efforts, it will take time before such a device can be produced commercially.
Of course this is what he said at the time "we need more time." But we have no idea the truth of the situation. Do you really imagine CEOs are truthful and reveal the real state of affairs? Only if it serves them.
AT THAT time, there was NO pressure to go foldable since Apple was just now going OLED. It would make sense to delay advances to "milk" the market with minor upgrades (just as Apple does) and then Spring the advance out Later when competition increased. They have been "displaying" foldable prototypes since '13 (?!).
After the Note 7 Fiasco, my first thought was they better bring out foldable much sooner to re-establish brand superiority in terms of cutting edge. Also, what better way to boost sales and overcome negative past then with a "MUST HAVE" item (that doesn't esplode, Ricky).