Imagine being able to roll up your smartphone and shove it in your pocket. While that is currently impossible, flexible smartphones could be debuting as early as 2013, according to a new report from BBC.
The report states that Samsung will most likely be the first electronics manufacturer to launch such a device. There is no word on whether we could be seeing flexible screen technology on the next Galaxy S or Galaxy Note smartphone, or whether Samsung will introduce a new line of Galaxy 'Flexible' smartphones.
According to Samsung, these flexible displays will be "foldable, rollable, wearable and more, [and] will allow for a high degree of durability through their use of a plastic substrate that is thinner, lighter and more flexible than... conventional LCD technology."
Samsung's flexible screens are said to be durable enough to withstand the rigor of everyday use.
Other companies working on flexible smartphone technology include Sony, Nokia, LG, and Phillips.
LG, which has started producing flexible e-ink screens, states that, "They could prove a terrific benefit for handsets, where damage from drops is common. Their light weight and thinness should provide huge potential to the future of handset design development."
As handsets grow larger and larger a flexible display would save users space. It sure would be nice to roll up that 5.55-inch behemoth known as the Galaxy Note 2 into a more compact and easy-to-carry form.
What do you think about flexible displays - gimmick, or a step in the right direction?
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