Red Soft and Passion launch production of folding smartphones

      The Russian company Red Soft is entering the consumer electronics market. Together with the Chinese partner Passion, they are creating a joint venture Red International, which will produce smartphones, laptops, tablets and AR glasses. The main novelty is a folding smartphone based on a domestic operating system.

       The device will be made in a modern folding form factor - with a large folding screen, like popular Android models. Both sides are working on the exterior and design: Russian and Chinese engineers. The device will receive one of the new processors from MediaTek, which should provide acceptable performance by modern standards.

       The smartphone will run on Red OS M, which is an Android version based on AOSP. According to the developers, it has been adapted for the Russian market, although so far without deep customization and built-in RuStore.

       Sales of the devices are planned to begin in the summer of 2025. Also, at the end of summer, the first Red International retail store will open in Moscow's Afimall shopping center. According to the company's representatives, the price will be focused on the premium segment, but the exact figures have not yet been disclosed.Image: IT World

       Previously, Red Soft had already supplied devices running on its own operating system to the corporate sector — about 10,000 units per year. Now the company is entering the mass sales market for the first time.

       The main challenge may be software. The Android version in use is about four years old, and experts point to weak integration of Russian services, lack of drivers, and limited support for some functions. How critical this is for the end user will become clear only after the device goes on sale.Image: IT World

       Red Soft and Passion rely on import independence and control over production, including the hardware platform. Success in the market will depend on how convenient and stable their device is in real life. A folding smartphone is an ambitious step, and the first sales will show whether the market is ready for such a solution on the Russian OS.