We might soon be able to buy actual foldable phones after years of looking at one concept after another. According to The Korea Herald, Samsung and LG are planning to launch bendable phones later this year. Samsung reportedly began working on a phone that folds out and turns into a 7-inch tablet in August, and it’s expected to roll out over 100,000 units in the third quarter. It apparently wasn’t a big challenge for the company, since it already previously developed a fold-in phone technology.

The publication says the company still isn’t 100 percent sure that it’s releasing the device this year due to marketability and profitability issues, though. Considering its mobile division still hasn’t bounced back to its former glory after the Galaxy Note 7 disaster, the Korean conglomerate likely doesn’t want to take any chances. The source says Samsung will make a decision after a personnel reshuffle of its IT and mobile divisions.

LG is reportedly planning to roll out 100,000 foldable devices in the fourth quarter, as well. It probably has a bigger chance of seeing that plan through since it’s been working on its fold-out technology for two to three years. However, the company could use its technology to develop components for clients like Huawei and Apple instead of releasing its own products. Either way, it sounds like we’re getting closer to seeing foldable gadgets on the market, so you may want to keep an eye out for official announcements.

By Marietta Moon for Endgadget.com | Image: Samsung|Endgadget