Samsung to release “unbreakable, bendable” phones by next year
South Korean technology company Samsung are set to introduce a new bendable and indestructible mobile telephone to their line-up in early 2013.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Samsung is in the final stages of developing the mobile phone screens, which will continue to use the display technology that Samsung currently uses but will be made out of plastic as opposed to glass.
The company has made the breakthrough by using Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) which, unlike existing Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), can be attached to materials like plastic or foil.
Although other companies have been able to produce flexible mobile phone screens, as yet they have been unable to mass-produce them.
Technology giants Sony have been researching the technology since 2002, and showcased their own flexible screens in 2010. Earlier this year, iPad manufacturers Apple filed for a patent of “electronic devices with flexible displays”.
A common problem with the touchscreens, which feature heavily in the market for smartphones, is that they are prone to fractures and cracking – a problem which Samsung believes it may be able to eliminate.
Additionally, in an ever-competitive market, manufacturers are constantly looking for new ways to make their products more desirable and diverse, explained Vinita Jakhanwal, a director at HIS Electronics and Media.
“Flexible [screens] can help Samsung differentiate its products in a smartphone market where most products offer similar products and functionality,” he said.
“Even if Samsung were not able to commercialise flexible screens straight away, making their screens out of plastic rather than glass would make their devices lighter, more durable and cheaper than rivals.”
Abbie Cavendish
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