On Thursday, March 9, the vice president of the Chinese manufacturer Realme asked his Twitter followers to choose between an upcoming smartphone in a “flip” or “fold” format. A message that seems to confirm an upcoming line of folding phones from this brand known for its entry-level and mid-range models, giving hope of a first model at a more affordable price in this format.
The message from the vice president of Realme leaves little doubt about the plans of the Chinese brand: in a tweet published on Thursday, March 9 in his personal accountl, Madhav Sheth appeals to his followers on the social network Twitter: “ What do you want next… #realmeFlip or #realmeFold?“Laconically launches the one who is also CEO of the Indian branch of this Chinese smartphone manufacturer, the most important branch since it is in India that Realme started.
What do you want next…? #realmeFlip either #realmeFold?
— Madhav Sheth (@MadhavSheth1) March 9, 2023
Asking the public if they prefer a Realme smartphone in book or clamshell format, the leader of the low-cost smartphone maker seems to confirm recent rumors about an upcoming range of foldable phones.
Two recent leaks with different designs
As noted GSM Stadium, this announcement echoes several Realme foldable smartphone rumors in recent years. Already in February 2021, a first 2D rendering of a possible ” Realme GTX in flip format had been shared on the Chinese social network Weibo. A few months later, it was the turn of a hypothetical Realme in folding format to reveal itself in several sketches, according to reports.91mobiles. called “Realme GT 2 times“In November 2021, this hypothetical model was equipped with a 6.5-inch screen that folds out to 8 inches.
In September 2022, a Realme administrator had confirmed to himIndian Tech Radarthe brand’s desire to produce a foldable smartphone in the future, but also quelled the rumors by saying there wasn’t even an approximate release date. Therefore, it seems that the Chinese manufacturer has changed its mind.
The first mid-range folding smartphone?
We will continue to wait for an official announcement from Realme about this folding range. However, this possibility gives hope that the Chinese manufacturer, popular for its entry-level and mid-range smartphones, will market the first foldable model at a reduced price, all things considered, we still expect a premium.
The project of acheap flip phoneit had already been mentioned by another Realme vice president, Xu Qi, during a press conference in November 2022, according to a tweet from the Indian leaker Sudhanshu Ambhore. The brand would thus be located in an unoccupied segment, compared to Samsung or Oppo foldables that still exceed 1,000 euros. Therefore, Realme could go for a foldable model, which is cheaper to produce and more popular with consumers.
Xu Qi Chase, realme VP has shared realme’s future plans
-realme GT Neo5 will be the name of the upcoming GT Neo series
-Two GT Neo Series per year
-Two phones Serial Number per year. One in the middle of the year and one at the end of the year.
-1 GT series phone per year
-Inexpensive flip phone in the works pic.twitter.com/GziS2pbOo1— Sudhanshu Ambhore (@Sudhanshu1414) November 17, 2022
Keep a cool head though: the cost of producing this display technology is still high, which could affect the price of this upcoming foldable Realme. An element that would contradict the current positioning of the Chinese brand.
However, this would not be the first time for Realme: the manufacturer already has a foothold in the premium model market, in particular with the launch of its GT 2 Pro in March 2022. So we are not immune to the sale of this upcoming smartphone. as expensive as its competitors.
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