SAN FRANCISCO: Samsung unveiled its first folding handset on Wednesday as part of an effort to rev up demand in the slumping smart phone sector.

The South Korean giant’s Galaxy Fold, unveiled at a San Francisco event, serves as a smart phone with a 4.6-inch display and unfolds to become a tablet of 7.3 inches.

“We are giving you a device that doesn’t just define a new category, it defies category,” said a Samsung representative at the event.

The new device will be available on April 26 starting at $1,980, the company said.

The move comes with the smart phone market in its worst-ever decline with consumers keeping devices longer and waiting for innovations.

Samsung made the announcement on the home turf of rival Apple, with the two giants battling for the premium segment of the market. The Fold is “a one of a kind luxury device with immersive visuals,” and offers “a truly next generation experience” that enables multitasking on its large screen, the company said.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2019