LG Has Plans To Launch An OLED Flexible Display Smartphone This Year
LG announced their Q1 2013 results yesterday and declared smartphone shipments of 10.3 million units. Executives said these results were “healthy” and mainly from the global success of the flagship devices like the Optimus G and Nexus 4. By the end of the year LG estimates their smartphone shipments will reach 45 million units.
If everything works out the way they intend, LG will be come to market this year with a smartphone that has a flexible display. This is something Samsung wanted to accomplish, but has reportedly met with technology delays. According to the Wall Street Journal, Yoon Bu-hyun, vice president at LG’s mobile business, said they’re currently working closely with the LG Display Company and will produce a smartphone that has a flexible OLED screen.
No other details on specs or timing, but will be great to finally see this technology come to market. Hopefully it’s priced reasonable and made available globally. Perhaps the go-to-market name will be the LG Optimus “Flex.”
LG is among several mobile companies, including one of its chief competitors, Samsung, eyeing flexible OLED display technology. The companies envision devices featuring fully flexible screens, allowing for more leniency in product design. At the Consumer Electronics Show in January, Samsung showed off a 5-inch demo unit with a flexible screen. Nokia has also shown off similar prototypes.
A year ago, LG trotted out a design for a flexible display for e-book readers.
[Wall Street Journal, CNET]
