In an interview with the media on the sidelines of the IFA 2022, which ended on September 6, Samsung VP Yoojin Hong disclosed that Google had agreed to create a special version of Android for smartphones with foldable displays in exchange for Samsung continuing to release new foldable devices annually. Also Read: Review of the Google Pixel Buds Pro: Feels right
Earlier this week, Samsung updated its previous foldable devices, including the Galaxy Z Fold3, Galaxy Z Flip3, Galaxy Z Fold2, Galaxy Z Flip, and Galaxy Z Fold, to Android 12L. Samsung’s foldable devices now include a variety of new capabilities, including an updated taskbar, additional multi-tasking functionality, and a flex mode, thanks to the Android 12L-based One UI 4.1.1. A recent article has shown how Google came to create an operating system specifically for foldable smartphones. Google is planning to release the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel Watch on October 6.
Highlights
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Later in the interview, Hong revealed as to what Google demanded in exchange for providing all the APIs, the maintenance, and the entire partnership. “Are we going to continue to produce this phone every year? That was their question…So we said we were going to do it. We made a commitment at that meeting,” the Samsung executive added.
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“I remember when we had our very first conversation with Google’s product team and Samsung’s product team, with managers, software developers, etc. everyone around the table started talking about this project very enthusiastically. And as a developer, it was a very nice feeling, it was full of passion, full of ‘wow that’s great’. It was exciting because we felt like we were working on a real innovation at the time,” the Samsung executive said while talking to the media on the sidelines of IFA. Also Read – How to backup emails from Gmail: A step-by-step guide
As far as what Google gained on making the move is concerned, the company has been tipped to be working on a foldable display smartphone for a long time. And so, agreeing to helping Samsung would also help the company in its own efforts of developing a foldable device.
The Samsung executive also shared that while it wasn’t sure if the market would accept the new device and the new form factor, yet the company went ahead and committed to developing new foldable display smartphones as it would be able to make important developmental decisions owing to being first in the space.