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Samsung plans to carry out pilot production of a dual-screen smartphone during the middle of this year, reported ET News, as the smartphone giant looks to better understand how the market will react to the form factor.

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Samsung is planning to produce 2,000 to 3,000 dual-screen smartphones and has already ordered corresponding components to complete the prototype device, the report said.

It's not clear what the specific design of the dual-screen smartphone will look like, but it will be made up of two display panels, folded and unfolded. The Investor added that the prototype can be folded open 180 degrees and the two display panels are connected by a hinge in the middle.

Samsung has been working on foldable display technology, but has yet to bring it to market. It's apparent the company is still testing the waters before a massive launch.

ET News added that Samsung is working on "Project Valley," a Galaxy smartphone that has a single flexible OLED screen that can be folded outward. It could launch towards the end of 2017, depending on how market tests for the dual-screen prototype go.

It's been some time since a dual-screen smartphone has been on the market. The Kyocera Echo famously tried to perfect the form factor, but had trouble garnering mass appeal.