Korean tech giant Samsung has unveiled its next foldable smartphone in a surprise Oscars TV advert.
The confirmation came two days before the device was expected to be officially launched.
The advert, broadcast in the USA, showed the new device, which opens and closes vertically much like a flip mobile phone from the 1990s.
Although the foldable was not named in the ad, it is widely expected to be called the Galaxy Z Flip, and be announced alongside new flagship smartphones in the firm's Galaxy S phone range, reports BirminghamLive.
The company had been expected to formally reveal the new device tomorrow night (February 11).
The advert showed the phone in two different colours, purple and black, and a small display on the outside of the phone used for alerts when the device is closed. However, few other details were disclosed.
The Galaxy Z Flip will be Samsung's second foldable smartphone, following the launch of the Galaxy Fold last year.
That device was made up of two screens; one of the front of the device like a traditional smartphone and another larger, folding screen which opened out from inside the device.
The Fold's launch was affected by screen issues, with Samsung forced to delay its release from May to September after early testers reported flaws in the foldable screen.
Some viewers noted that the advert for the Galaxy Z Flip included a notice which read: "You may notice a small crease in the centre of the main screen, which is a natural characteristic of the screen."
