Samsung Could Launch Smartphone With Foldable Display by 2015

Samsung Could Launch Smartphone With Foldable Display by 2015

Sure, the iPhone 6 Plus can bend by accident, but Samsung's future devices may be bendy by design. According to a senior executive for the company's display-making arm, we can expect to see, by 2015, a flexible display for smartphones that can be folded in half.

At the Samsung Investors Forum 2014 in New York, the Korean firm's representatives said it intends to "secure production capacity of 30,000 to 40,000 (flexible displays each month) by the end of next year." According to ZDNet, Samsung's reps said that the company plans to offer a product with a flexible display by the end of the year, but that nothing has been finalized yet.

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The electronics giant this year launched the impressive Galaxy Note Edge, which has a screen that extends to the side of the phone, bending over the edge. This extra real estate lets you view notifications or scrolling tickers at a glance, access favorite apps quickly and even functions as a night-time clock.

Rival company LG already launched a LG G Flex device that features a perpetually curved body, which can be unbent when you apply some pressure on it. The display on that device is already slightly flexible, although it doesn't appear to be foldable.

While it sounds like a novel idea, it's hard to imagine the practical uses of a foldable screen. Regardless, a flexible Samsung phone could launch at an affordable price - the company is planning to lower production costs of its AMOLED display, which will hopefully make its devices cheaper for consumers.

During the forum, Samsung's reps also announced plans to cut the number of smartphone models it launches by 30 percent. The company delivered 56 different handsets last year, including variants of its Galaxy S5 flagship such as the Sprint-exclusive S5 Sport and AT&T-exclusive S5 Active.

Staff writer Cherlynn Low is smitten with the Galaxy Note Edge's extra panel. Follow her @cherlynnlow. Follow Tom's Guide at @tomsguide on Facebook.

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