Xiaomi, OPPO, & Vivo could soon launch new foldables to challenge Samsung

Xiaomi's upcoming foldable is rumored to be significantly more affordable than the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

What you need to know

• A new report suggests at least five new foldable phones will launch in Q3 2021.
• Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 at an Unpacked event in July.
• Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo are also tipped to launch new foldable phones in the next quarter.

Samsung will not be the only smartphone maker to launch new foldables in the third quarter of the year, according to a report from DigiTimes. Citing industry sources, the report claims Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo also plan to launch new foldables in the next quarter to challenge Samsung's best foldable phones.

Xiaomi, which announced its first foldable phone in March, is reportedly planning to launch a more affordable device to challenge Samsung. Per the report, the company's next foldable phone will be priced lower than the Mi Mix Fold's launch price of 9,999 yuan ($1,570).

OPPO and Vivo are also likely to release their first foldable phones sometime in the second half of the year. Just like the Xiaomi foldable, however, the specs of the OPPO and Vivo foldables also remain a complete mystery at this point.

As suggested by previous leaks, Samsung is expected to launch two new foldable phones in July: Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is rumored to be the company's first phone to come equipped with an under-display selfie camera.

It will also include S Pen support, just like the Galaxy S21 Ultra. On the software side of things, the device will apparently feature a new "Split UI" optimized for foldable form factors.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

$1,800 at Amazon$1,800 at Best Buy$1,600 at Samsung

If you are in the market for a new foldable phone and cannot wait for the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is undoubtedly the best option right now. It is a lot more durable than Samsung's first-gen Fold, offers great battery life, and has a highly versatile triple-camera setup.