Honor reportedly plans to launch its first foldable this year after Huawei split

Huawei Matexs
Huawei Matexs (Image credit: Alex Dobie / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • Honor is reportedly launching its first foldable phone in 2021.
  • The former Huawei subsidiary had already hinted that this would be in the works, announcing that it would be targeting a 2020 launch — though the pandemic likely delayed that.
  • The foldable is said to be planned under the Magic brand, the company's experimental line.

Honor is getting ready to make its own foldable, according to a new report from Display Supply Chain Consultants, or DSCC (via XDA Developers). The new phone will reportedly be called the Honor Magic Fold, an upcoming device aimed at some of the best foldable phones from the likes of Samsung and Huawei, but at a more Honor-like (read: cheaper) cost.

We don't know much else about this foldable from the report. Honor is said to be sourcing panels from BOE and Visionix, and it'll likely be looking to use the Snapdragon 888 or something just as powerful, but the specifics for this upcoming device remain vague beyond that.

Folding phones have become the newest big thing in mobile computing. While they started it with a whimper as Samsung's first Galaxy Fold flop illustrated, they have quickly picked up the pace, albeit somewhat standardizing design-wise. Even companies who tend to be relatively restrained, such as Google and Apple have reportedly been working on their own foldables.

As for Honor, it is well-positioned to make a foldable in 2021, especially when we consider the company's long history with Huawei. It'll also now be able to work with Qualcomm and Google to build an experience that can compete with rivals without being unreasonably constrained. With Honor also prepping its new Honor 50 as well, the company's future looks a lot brighter than it did a few months ago.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is a fantastic foldable phone that offers a unique design and an unrivaled multitasking experience. It is also significantly more durable than Samsung's original Fold and features three versatile 12MP cameras.

Michael Allison