Curved displays like the one found on Samsung's Galaxy Round certainly look unique compared to the flat screens we've used for years. Most people, however, would likely dismiss the Galaxy Round and others like the LG G Flex as marketing gimmicks but according to Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies, they actually offer a practical advantage over their flat counterparts.
In a report published earlier today, Soneira said curved screens are a major and very important display technology innovation. Based on his own in-house testing of a Galaxy Round, he found the edges of the display are only 2.66mm (0.10 inch) taller than the center. This gives the phone a subtle curve but it helps in a number of other areas.
The curvature of the screen makes it more difficult for someone sitting beside you to see what's being displayed on the screen. Improved privacy is always a welcomed addition, especially if you use public transit to get to and from work or around town.
Additionally, the curved display helps to reduce reflections as the design directs reflected ambient light away from the viewer's line of sight. And because the flexible OLED displays are crafted using a flexible plastic substrate, users don't have to contend with the glossy cover glass found on virtually all mobile displays today. Since there is no cover glass, the display appears to be right on the surface of the screen which Soneira found to be visually striking.
Do you like the idea of a curved display or are you still on the 'gimmick' bandwagon?