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WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF

Being able to fold screens and displays opens the door to new computer and smart device formats, and this is just the beginning.

 

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We’ve all seen Samsung and Huawei’s folding smartphones, and now Korean publication ETNews are reporting that Samsung, Intel and Microsoft are working together to commercialise folding laptops with each company providing an important component.

 

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The laptops are based on Intel’s “Horseshoe Bend” flexible display concept which sees a 17-inch folding tablet fold into a 13-inch laptop, with the bottom screen turning into a keyboard. Samsung Display would provide the folding screens, Intel the processor and Microsoft the OS adapted for the form factor.

 

The prototype being shown off at CES 2020

 

The Horseshoe Bend Project is open, and “17-inch panels will be supplied as standardized products to Lenovo, Dell, and HP” said a representative from the industry who is familiar with the Horseshoe Bend Project. “Foldable panel is expected to go into mass-production at the end of 2021.”

 

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While the screen, processor and OS will be standardized, the other elements of the laptops, however, will be open for OEMs to innovate on. And with the screens only being mass-produced later this year it seems likely the first products will only be launched in 2022, just in time for Microsoft to finish Windows 10x, their OS which was originally designed for folding screens, but which has now instead been adapted for standard laptops.

About author

Matthew Griffin

Matthew Griffin, described as “The Adviser behind the Advisers” and a “Young Kurzweil,” is the founder and CEO of the World Futures Forum and the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures consultancy working between the dates of 2020 to 2070, and is an award winning futurist, and author of “Codex of the Future” series. Regularly featured in the global media, including AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, RT, Viacom, and WIRED, Matthew’s ability to identify, track, and explain the impacts of hundreds of revolutionary emerging technologies on global culture, industry and society, is unparalleled. Recognised for the past six years as one of the world’s foremost futurists, innovation and strategy experts Matthew is an international speaker who helps governments, investors, multi-nationals and regulators around the world envision, build and lead an inclusive, sustainable future. A rare talent Matthew’s recent work includes mentoring Lunar XPrize teams, re-envisioning global education and training with the G20, and helping the world’s largest organisations envision and ideate the future of their products and services, industries, and countries. Matthew's clients include three Prime Ministers and several governments, including the G7, Accenture, Aon, Bain & Co, BCG, Credit Suisse, Dell EMC, Dentons, Deloitte, E&Y, GEMS, Huawei, JPMorgan Chase, KPMG, Lego, McKinsey, PWC, Qualcomm, SAP, Samsung, Sopra Steria, T-Mobile, and many more.

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