Samsung Galaxy X folding smartphone rumoured for release in 2017

Samsung is reportedly planning on launching four other new smartphones next year

One of the five rumoured new devices would be a follow-up to this year's Galaxy S7 (Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Samsung may have had a big year with the launch of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, but their ambitions for 2017 are even grander.

According to reputable Samsung blog SamMobile, the South Korean manufacturer is planning on releasing five new flagship phones next year.

Some of the rumoured upcoming devices aren't too surprising. Like usual, Samsung will be updating the Galaxy S series, with the S8 and S8 Edge.

They'll also be bringing out the Galaxy Note 7 and Note 7 Edge, follow-ups to the forthcoming Note 6.

Most interesting, however, is what SamMobile calls the Galaxy X - a revolutionary foldable smartphone, which can expand to be used as a tablet.

The S7 Edge already has a curved screen, but the Galaxy X would take things further. The phone has been in development for a while, under the codename 'Project Valley', and leaks have so far suggested that it will look like a regular smartphone when folded, but will double in size when opened.

Releasing the long-awaited foldable phone next year would make sense. Smartphone sales are falling for most major manufacturers, and each new device seems to be more similar than different to its predecessor.

Making such a radically different phone would put Samsung ahead of the pack, potentially boosting their sales.

Samsung doesn't comment on rumours, so there's no news on the release dates or prices of these futuristic phones. Based on past launch schedules, however, you can expect the S8 and S8 Edge to release in early Spring, with the Note and Galaxy X devices potentially coming out in the second half of the year.