Samsung Is Releasing A Folding Phone So You Can Relive Your 90s Flip Phone Memories

Samsung says it will release a pricey folding smartphone in April, with specially adapted apps from Facebook and Alphabet designed for the new device.

The Galaxy Fold will cost $US1980 ($A2760) and go on sale on April 26, Samsung officials said at an event in San Francisco.

The device will have a 11.7cm display while folded and an 18.5cm display when unfolded.

Samsung said it worked with Facebook, Google and Microsoft to create special versions of their popular apps to fit the new display.

Samsung Electronics chief executive DJ Koh said the device "breaks new ground because it answers sceptics who said that everything that could be done has been done".

The device could help Samsung, the world's largest mobile phone maker, compete against rivals such as Apple and China's Huawei Technologies, both of which sell premium smartphones.

While Huawei gained market share last year, the entire industry saw overall unit sales fall as the Chinese economy struggled toward the end of the year.

Samsung said it had developed new manufacturing processes for the phone's hinge and flexible display to tolerate being open and closed hundreds of thousands of times.

Koh said the aim of the launch was to "to recharge growth for our industry".

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