Samsung moves forward with plans to mass produce flexible displays

[Shawn Knight]

Smartphones like Samsung’s Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note II, Nokia’s Lumia 920 and Apple’s iPhone 5 have dominated storylines for the better half of this year. These phones all feature today’s latest and greatest technology in one form or another.

Many people looking towards what the future holds, however, have their eyes set on one emerging technology that’s likely to be a big game changer: flexible displays. We’ve profiled the technology and even prototypes over the past year but we are now hearing word that Samsung is moving forward with plans to mass produce a flexible display for use next year.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung is in the final development stage for their flexible display for mobile devices. The component is being built using special plastics rather than glass, a move that will ultimately make the screen more resilient to damage and weigh less than today’s glass displays. Panels will use OLED technology, the same kind that’s already used in a number of smartphones and television sets.

Late last year we saw a demo of a flexible phone prototype from Nokia that would allow users to physically bend the handset to manipulate onscreen images and interact with it.

Samsung vice president of display unit Lee Chang-hoon said they are currently sampling the displays with a select number of customers. He said a release date for a consumer product using the display has yet to be determined but the article suggests they will be ready by the first half of 2013.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/50819-samsung-moves-forward-with-plans-to-mass-produce-flexible-displays.html

 

[VitalyT]

They say computer screens are bad on your eyes. What looking at these screens will do to you - pupils disproportion?

 

[oldikes]

What happens when you accidentally tear your bendable phone? the screens seem like they will be immensely easier to scratch. I feel like these will integrate in the future into homes, but I dont feel lke curved screens will catch on quickly on phones and such

 

[Guest]

Depending on how flexible the screens turn out to be, you could be looking at your first flip smartphone. Being able to cut my phones size in half would be useful since screens are getting larger again as time goes on and are harder to fit in a pocket.

 

[dcnc123]

That's a good thing.... are these touch screens too?

 

[Zoltan Head]

Depending on how flexible the screens turn out to be, you could be looking at your first flip smartphone. Being able to cut my phones size in half would be useful since screens are getting larger again as time goes on and are harder to fit in a pocket.

I suspect they won't last very long if folded into a u-bend each time they're put away!
Not sure of the advantage of a bendy phone, either?
Should be good for domestic applications & packaging if the price is right?

 

[sambob]

And In unsurprising news Samsung will be selling these to everyone...but, Apple.
Paybacks a *****.

 

[Guest]

..err, Japan has made cellphone with flexible display years ago, one of my friend had one, her phone is just like chocolate bar then you can just snap it on your wrist, it will bend just like flexible wristband on your wrist

 

[avoidz]

I can see flexible displays have a use somewhere, but for personal phones I'm not so sure. Isn't it a good thing mobile phones are made rigid and not flimsy? I'd like to see some prototypes anyway.