Samsung’s been rumored to be working on phones with folding displays for a while, but according to a report from Bloomberg, Samsung might actually launch some in 2017.
Two phones with “bendable screens” are said to be in the works, including one that folds in half “like a cosmetic compact” and another that would look like a 5 inch phone when held in one hand, but which could be unfolded and used as an 8 inch tablet when you want a bigger screen.
Samsung Folding Display concept from 2013
Samsung has been showing off flexible display technology for years and uses some of that technology for its Galaxy Edge line of smartphones, allowing the screens to be folded around the edges of the device. But the screens on the Edge series are still a lot like traditional displays, in that you can’t actually bend them yourself — the flexibility comes in handy for manufacturing, not for end users.
Bloomberg talked to sources familiar with Samsung’s plans, who say that the phones would use OLED displays, are being built under the codename “Project Valley,” and could be unveiled at Mobile World Congress in February, 2017.
Samsung isn’t the only company said to be working on phones with folding displays. LG may also be developing similar technology.
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Great news! Finally the screen size could be decoupled from the size in the pocket. I hope the thickness of the folded object stays below 1 cm and the weight is more like the one of a phone than the one of a tablet. About those I have great hopes for the small one. Less than 130 g please. The larger one won’t be light.
Thinking about the future, the Galaxy S2 is exactly as tall as the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is wide. The height of that tablet is slightly more that 3 times the width of the S2. Fold it twice and you can morph one into another. Maybe a little to early for that.
Another field of application is laptops. A base with the size of a 13″ laptop and a much larger screen. I’d probably prefer a 16:18 doubling in height than a 32:9.
In the case of your laptop I would think it would be better to roll the screen instead of folding it. I do not hold out much hope for the durability of a screen that actually folds.
Foldable or not, make them shatter proof like in Motorola and, hopefully, upcoming S7 active.
DOA