Samsung has already spoken about releasing the company's first foldable smartphone next year. Dubbed as the Samsung Galaxy X, the premium handset with bendable display is expected to shake up the competition in 2018. According to the latest reports, the Galaxy X may only be a few steps away from becoming a reality, with the device model already certified by a patent filing regulator in South Korea.

According to LetsGoDigital, an unknown mobile device with model number SM-G888N0 has been certified recently by the Korean National Radio Research Agency (NRRA), a branch of the Korea Communication Commission (KCC). The device being a Korean model is indicated by "N0" in the model number.

The alleged patent sketches filed by Samsung reveal that the foldable Samsung Galaxy X device will sport an extra-wide display screen. The catch in this massive display is that the internal portion will be composed of a flexible screen. Also, the widescreen display of the Galaxy X is rumored to be even larger than that of Samsung Galaxy S8, the latter having an aspect ratio of 18:5:9.

The massive widescreen display of the Samsung Galaxy X can be folded into a smaller clamshell form to fit inside pockets and small bags. In spite of this, the device will still maintain its large display for the satisfaction of users.

Samsung announced their plans to develop the first foldable Galaxy device on the same day of the iPhone X unveiling last Sept. 12. Aside from the fact that the upcoming Galaxy handset will have a bendable screen, there are no further details disclosed regarding its hardware specs. However, there are rumors that the Galaxy X will receive a 5-inch screen panel with 4K resolution, something that Samsung has yet to introduce in their current devices.

Earlier this month, Samsung President Koh Dong-jin stated that the South Korean tech giant aims to release a foldable smartphone in 2018, and they plan to reveal this design through the next Galaxy Note phablet, Engadget reported.

"I can say our current goal is next year. When we can overcome some problems for sure, we will launch the product," Koh said. The Samsung executive also noted of the potential challenges along the way as they attempt to develop the foldable Galaxy device. For one, there are still issues with the current Infinite Display technology in Galaxy S8 and Note 8 that need to be solved first before venturing to a foldable design.