Oppo and Vivo were some of the first companies to launch foldable phones, including both flip-style and larger folding screens. But according to a new rumor, they might be taking a break from flip phones in 2024.

Word for it comes from insider Digital Chat Station (DCS) who revealed in his latest Weibo post that two major brands won’t “update” their clamshell foldables this year. 

While he didn’t name the names, we can guess it’s Oppo and Vivo. Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Z Flip 6 in July, Motorola has a flip phone in the works, and Xiaomi hasn’t released a flip phone yet. That leaves Oppo and Vivo as the remaining big players.

The news also aligns with what analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in February: Oppo and Vivo might have stopped development on new flip phones for the Chinese market in 2024. It seems to be due to slower sales, although Huawei is reportedly still interested in clamshells despite them being less profitable.

DCS also suggests that instead of a flip phone, one of these two brands might launch a completely new type of foldable phone in 2025. 

Huawei Tri-folding phone patent

The details are unclear, but it could be something different from the usual folding or flipping styles. The possibilities include phones that fold in a Z-shape (tri-folding) or have a rollable display.

So far, only Samsung and Huawei have been rumored to be working on Z-style foldable. Rollable phones are also an idea that’s been floating around.

There was even a rumor last year that Vivo might beat Samsung in releasing a rollable phone first. But there haven’t been any updates on that front.

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