LG trademarks Flex, Foldi and Duplex names, foldable phone expected in January 2019

LG, Samsung, and Huawei are working on a foldable smartphone. (Image credit: Reuters)

LG has applied for three trademarks in Europe that might be the names of a foldable smartphone –  Flex, Foldi, and Duplex. First spotted by LetsGoDigital (via Engadget), LG made the applications on November 21 with European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). We do not know whether these trademarks relate to a foldable phone, but we do know that they are all listed as Class 9, a classification that includes smartphones.

Speculation is rife that LG is working on a smartphone with a bendable screen. According to tipster Evan Blass, the South Korean major could announce its foldable phone early next year Blass claims that LG will reportedly show off a foldable smartphone at CES 2019 in January next year. Unfortunately, we still don’t know a lot about LG’s foldable smartphone.

I can’t speak for Samsung…

…but I do know that LG plans to unveil a foldable phone at its 2019 CES keynote.

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) October 31, 2018

LG isn’t alone working on a foldable smartphone. Samsung has already teased a foldable phone which the company plans to launch sometime early next year and Huawei too is working on a 5G-enabled foldable phone that could probably be teased at MWC 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

Also read: Samsung's foldable phone to cost $2500

LG is a big name in the display technology, after Samsung. The company definitely has expertise in manufacturing in flexible displays, but it remains to be seen if LG plans to launch a foldable phone, given the device will come at an ultra-premium price tag.