What you need to know about flexible smartphones and why they are the future. Flexible smartphones: when to expect them

Having burst into the world of people about thirty years ago, capturing their hands, ears and attention, cell phones are inevitably evolving, because the demand for them is great. 20 years ago, the height of perfection seemed to be brick-and-mortar mobile phones that physically did not fit into a pocket, but today mobile devices are thin, sophisticated and mega-functional. I wouldn’t be surprised if in the future mobile phones will 100% replace photos and video cameras, plastic cards and wallets in general will become something like universal remedy managing your life... I dedicate this article, which opens a new “gadgets” section on my blog, to an amazing concept cell phone, created by AMOLED technology by a certain South Korean designer Heyon Yu.

Galaxy skin - still doesn't exist

For the first time, a prototype of a foldable mobile phone was shown at the Samsung stand during the last January International Consumer Electronics Show or CES-2011 in Las Vegas. True, the capabilities of the polymer AMOLED display, which is only one millimeter thick, were demonstrated more - it can be bent, hit with a hammer, and all this without any consequences.

Samsung - flexible FOLED monitor

Several cell phone concepts have been showcased in intricately curved designs with working monitors. My first reaction to watching the video in which they were captured was - why did the Koreans ruin a good mobile phone by bending its body with heat? If this was just a publicity stunt, then it was quite weak, because... was not noticed by the majority of the media covering the exhibition...

Unexpected news about a mobile device built on a Samsung polymer display blew the minds of the Internet community and fans the latest gadgets around the world and, I am convinced, delivered to engineers Apple some of the most unpleasant hours of their entire careers. Still would: mobile device, which can be bent, with amazing capabilities, flexible lithium battery, Google Android, gigabyte RAM, 1.2 gigahertz processor, 8 megapixel photo-video camera, moreover, a projector that transmits the image to a screen outside the mobile phone!

Have you ever experienced some inconvenience when fitting your modern mobile phone into your pocket? The impressive size makes it difficult to do this, doesn’t it? And with a flexible cell phone it’s easy - bend it in half and push it in! Moreover, you can put the gadget on your hand, like wristwatch! What can I say - no mobile phone, and the dream...

Flexible, beautiful and almost existing - maybe next year

And now we have to disappoint all those who were assessing the possible cost of a mobile phone and the capabilities of their wallet, mentally wrapped their wrists with this gadget and anticipated the envious glances of friends, girlfriends, colleagues - no Samsung Galaxy Skin does not exist in nature! Yes, unfortunately, this is so... Or rather, a certain virtual gadget with a flexible monitor body really exists, but only in the Internet space, only it has nothing to do with Samsung Electronics does not have this concept. According to an official statement from Samsung representatives, all this hype around a flexible mobile phone by a certain designer Heyon Yu is nothing more than a fake and nothing at all. serial production will not be, and Samsung logos are applied to the concept image without the consent of its official representatives.

You may think the Samsung Note's large display is cool, but something completely new and innovative is coming very soon. Samsung has been working on a foldable display for years, and the Korean giant may already be ready to launch its first smartphone with a foldable screen in 2017.

Samsung Galaxy X release date and where will it go on sale?

The latest rumor comes from a Weibo user via Sammobile, who claims that the South Korean giant will release five smartphone models in 2017 - Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Note, Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Note 7 Edge and Samsung Galaxy X.

The Galaxy X is the highlight here - a completely new category lineup from Samsung that will focus on the world's first foldable smartphone display.

All specified devices, with the exception of X, will have super display AMOLED with a resolution of 2.5K, as well as an arrangement of RGB subpixels. The Samsung Galaxy X, codenamed 'Project Valley', is aiming for more, with the phone coming with a 4K display and a 'diamond PenTile sub-pixel arrangement'.

Previous reports confirm the existence of the Samsung Galaxy X project

The company unveiled a foldable display concept at CES 2013 and allegedly showed off its first foldable phone prototype at a closed session at CES 2014.

However, an old report from SamMobile on Project Valley claims that it may not have a wide international launch. According to anonymous sources, the first Galaxy X will go on sale in the UK, Germany, Italy, South Korea, France, Poland and the countries of Northern Europe, Russia has not yet been mentioned, but there is an assumption that in Russia too. We cannot confirm this information, nor can we refute it, but there is certainly some truth in it.

After all, Samsung is experimenting with launching various devices in different places, we already know one controversial decision about the release of the Galaxy Note 5 in the UK and Europe.

What about the Samsung Galaxy X specifications?

Samsung is allegedly testing two variants of the device, the main difference being the processor. One has Qualcomm Snapdragon 620, while the other has a Snapdragon 820, but if the launch is scheduled for 2017, then most likely the Korean leader will opt for something newer.

As for the features that were revealed with this report, they include 3 GB random access memory, MicroSD slot for memory expansion, as well as non-removable battery. The presence of a MicroSD slot will be welcomed by many, but it is unlikely that this phone will have everything at once, at least in the early stages.

Samsung Galaxy X flexible screen technology – video

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We have collected everything for you last news about the flexible (folding) smartphone Samsung Galaxy X. Including the company's statement about the release date, certification in Korea, images and photos. This will be a clearly interesting product, combining a compact pocket smartphone and at the same time a tablet thanks to a folding design based on flexible components.

Samsung Galaxy X: review

Galaxy X is a foldable smartphone with two displays. The project has at least two different names - Project Valley and Project V. According to Samsung top manager DJ Koh (Ko Dong Jin), the model will belong to the Galaxy Note line, but in a new version. It's more of a foldable tablet than a phone.

On this moment The developer has already overcome or is close to overcoming the problems associated with folding technology, since it will be just “bending” and not changing the position of part of the body on hinges, as in flip phones. As for the name, "X" most likely means a letter, like "Project X", and not the Roman numeral "10", like .

Samsung Galaxy X: specifications

It’s too early to talk about the processor, RAM and other parameters; they can only be reliably learned from a press release. At the moment, it is known that if in 2016 the product bore the product number SM-G929F for the markets of some European and Asian countries, now we're talking about about the number SM-G888N0 for South Korea. This is reported on the LTE certification page.

It is also known that Samsung Galaxy X is already certified by the national communications agency of the Republic of Korea NRRA, WiFi organizations Alliance and Bluetooth SIG. Judging by the available information, among the characteristics of the new product there will be an internal display with a resolution of 4K UltraHD and external display with QHD resolution.

Samsung Galaxy X: photos

Below you can see preliminary schematic images and photos of Samsung Galaxy X concepts:

Samsung Galaxy X: release date

The first serious mentions of Galaxy X date back to 2016. Back then, many predicted the release of a folding new product with two displays in the first half of 2017, but this never happened. Although work probably began in 2012 or 2013. This is confirmed by the fact that at CES 2013, Samsung showed the technology for creating flexible OLED display Youm.

Stay tuned - we will keep you updated with news! All the news is here.

Attention! About on our website, with additions of materials and discussion of the possibility of giving the flagships a new name!

Added 01/11/2018

According to a Samsung representative, you should not wait for the release of the Samsung Galaxy X before November - December 2018.

Added 02/01/2018

Added 02/27/2018

CEO of Samsung's mobile division Dong Jin Ko started talking about flexible Galaxy smartphone X. According to him, the device will go into mass production in November of this year, and the start of sales is scheduled for 2019. The device will fold inward, although a model that folds outward may appear on the market later.

Dong Jin Ko is concerned that people currently view the Galaxy X as a geeky product rather than a new way to interact with a smartphone. Samsung intends to make it absolutely new type devices that will eventually become widespread on the market.

Added 04/24/2018

TheBell portal managed to find out that Samsung intends to find out the market reaction by releasing from 500 thousand to 2 million devices in mass production. Reportedly, the company has not yet decided on the final design of the gadget: whether it will fold inward or outward. In the first case, the smartphone must have three OLED screens: one on the outside and two on the inside, so that it can be used when folded.

It was previously reported that in open position The device will have a 7.3-inch screen. New reports say that the size of the device will be comparable to models in the Galaxy Note line. Therefore, when folded, users will receive compact phone With quick access to calls, SMS, etc.

Video Samsung Galaxy X (concept)

Updated 06-05-18

According to foreign sources, flexible samsung smartphone may debut at the exhibition mobile industry MWC 2019. This event will be held in Barcelona, ​​Spain at the end of February next year.

Updated 06/14/2018

The new device will hit the market with a rather impressive price tag of $1,850 (about 115 thousand rubles). Of course, the Galaxy X won't be the most expensive smartphone on the market, but it will cost almost twice as much as the main flagships.

Perhaps Samsung will present a smartphone at MWC 2019 - information about this appeared in foreign sources.

Updated 04-07-2018

The Sammobile web resource said that the smartphone will not fold exactly in half, as previously assumed, but only by two-thirds (that is, a third of the screen will remain open when folded). This is done because a screen that folds exactly in half would have to be opened every time the user wants to, for example, look current time or battery level. If small part The display will remain visible, the user will be able to receive some information without unfolding it.

Added 07/19/2018

According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung plans to be the first to introduce a smartphone with a foldable screen. It is expected to release such a device early next year.

There's even a prototype, codenamed "Winner," that has a nearly 7-inch screen that can be folded in half, according to people familiar with the matter. A second screen outside the fold shows notifications and similar data.

The model will be focused on gaming and will cost around $1,500. Reaching a wider market is planned for the second half of 2019, when Samsung will likely launch a foldable smartphone aimed at a wider range of users.

Lack of innovation

IN Lately There is stagnation in the development of telephones. There are fewer and fewer differences in design, all phones look very similar: a kind of plastic (less often metal or glass) block with touch display front and a camera on the back, and it would seem that it is impossible to come up with something more, to add variety, but, probably, many remember those phones that were released in the “pre-iPhone” era, before 2007. Various colors, even shapes (Nokia n-Gage), and even if some of them were unsuccessful, there were still many successful examples, many successful designs, form factors that were popular: candy bar, slider, clamshell, rotator, and their various branches. But the success of the iPhone haunts manufacturers, and we see a lot of iPhone-like faceless crafts on the market, among which, perhaps, original design Only the top Nokia Lumia differs.

The wind of change

But in the light latest events Thoughts “not just an iPhone” appear. The concept of a bendable screen and a bendable phone is incredibly tempting, but the idea itself is not new and has been in use for a long time, but only as an idea, but now manufacturers have come quite close to its implementation. Flexible gadgets have a promising future and wide application. Developments in this area were presented at various exhibitions different companies: among these companies Siemens (2005), LG and Philips (2006), Sony (2007), TDK (2010), AUO (2011) and many others. Most displays were based on organic LEDs using OLED technology, as well as e-ink electronic ink technology, among flexible displays there are even color ones, but this is more of a curiosity than a given, and so far not a single device using color flexible e-ink display technology has been released. The little-known company Wexler with its e-book Flex One. It had a black and white flexible screen that was attached to a unit with a battery and all the electronics; the book did not find much popularity due to the inflated price and the low usefulness of the flexible display specifically in this device. The next sensational device was the unnamed one Nokia phone, shown at Nokia World 2011, which was controlled by the bending of the body and had, accordingly, flexible display, but, unfortunately, everything was limited to the exhibition, and, despite the vendor’s promises to release the device, the matter never reached the assembly line, we did not see it for sale. 7 October 2 013 Samsung of the Year and Lg, within a few hours of each other, announced the start of production of flexible OLED panels, which used a plastic substrate instead of glass, with a bending radius of 40 centimeters. It is worth noting that bendable screens, as a concept, were presented even earlier at exhibitions. Of all the bendable smartphones, the closest to the ideal of flexible phones was this unnamed Nokia, in which the body bent, unlike now existing smartphones, but apparently the manufacturer ran into problems and it never saw the light of day. Now it is reliably known about the existence of two smartphones with a curved body, and, accordingly, a curved screen: Samsung Galaxy Round and LG G Flex. Rumors about them appeared after CES 2013; there was information that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 would receive such a display, but these rumors were not confirmed, and it appeared in the phablet form factor that has become familiar recently. To work on curved smartphones Samsung and Lg companies started at approximately the same time, they were also presented and released approximately at the same time, and, therefore, are direct competitors and, accordingly, deserve comparison as technical characteristics, and appearance.

Samsung Galaxy Round

The smartphone is essentially a copy of the previously released Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with minor changes, such as a curved body and screen, while the gadget is not capable of bending in one direction or another, it is curved along the horizontal axis, which does not add anything to it advantages except, perhaps, recognition and a more impressive appearance. You most likely will not feel the comfort of being curved when talking, if you compare it with your “flat” brothers; it will also not be more convenient to carry in your pocket due to its rather big size screen – 5.7 inches with a pixel density of 386 per inch. The resolution is 1080p (Full-HD), which will undoubtedly affect the convenience of watching movies and surfing the Internet, but at the same time, the screen is no different from its brother Note 3. The Round is also equipped with a powerful and energy-efficient Qualcomm processor Snapdragon 800 with four cores and a modern Adreno 330 graphics chip, of course, all the necessary modules are present: Gsm with network support fourth generation, which are not yet available in Ukraine, gyroscope, Gps, etc. Waiting for you behind high quality camera with a resolution of 13 megapixels, the quality of which is comparable to inexpensive point-and-shoot cameras. Since the gadget has curved display, which is new, it also costs significantly more than its flat competitors, while losing to the Note 3 in battery capacity and the lack of a capacitive stylus. The kit includes high-quality earphones, a second battery in a translucent case and a charger for it. The gadget is currently available exclusively for the Korean market, and there may be difficulties ordering it, so if you are chasing the latest technologies, but are ready to sacrifice curvature, in the usefulness of which is this state and on this level development there is more doubt, excellent choice will become Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with its more capacious battery and a stylus.

Lg G Flex

Lg G Flex – Galaxy competitor Round, curved along a different axis, this is how I would briefly describe this smartphone. Its technical characteristics are very similar to Lg G 2 and Google Nexus 5. In terms of technical characteristics, there is practically nothing special, this, in accordance with the stop status of the device, top processor and graphics chip, all necessary modules, protective glass latest generation and a 13 megapixel camera, which hardly surprises anyone these days. But there are features that make this phone stand out from the crowd of others. Special coating back cover, which can withstand minor scratches, which simply disappear over time, at the same time this will not save you from deep scratches, but even this trend and development in this direction are pleasant for the buyer. Also this phone has enough big advantage in the form of the fact that, having a bendable screen, the phone itself can bend, albeit a little, but still this feature can save quite a lot of phones from the sad fate of being crushed by the butt, to which the iPhone 5 is very susceptible. Also quite unusual is the display manufacturing technology , namely OLED, which is not widespread at all, but is an excellent and high-quality alternative to all the usual TFT, IPS, AMOLED. Overall - excellent and balanced smartphone, in which there are no pronounced positive or negative aspects, it can be described as high-quality, and also called a successful experiment with the form factor; it’s nice that here the curved display already performs a protective function.

Lg G Flex VS Samsung Galaxy Round

And, of course, the buyer is most interested in the question: what to buy? And only a head-to-head comparison of the characteristics, and most importantly, the benefits of using such an innovation as a flexible display, will answer this question. It is worth comparing according to the criteria that are most important to the average buyer.

1. Display

Here the device from Samsung will get a clear victory: the displays are made according to different technologies, both are flexible, but there is one thing: the Sansung screen surpasses its brother in resolution quite noticeably, which makes it clearer, and, accordingly, in Everyday life It will be more pleasant to use it, watch movies, the fonts will be clearer.

2. Performance

There is no clear winner here, since the devices are equipped with the same processors, the same graphics chips, but Samsung has a gigabyte more RAM, but still the smooth operation will depend on the shell and its gluttony, so there is parity here.

3. Camera

Both smartphones have the same camera models from Sony, so the quality of shooting depends solely on software optimization by the manufacturer.

4. Innovation

Smartphones were created with one idea and goal: the emphasis was on the same thing - a flexible screen. But I would call the Lg G Flex a more useful carrier of new technologies, since its flexibility can protect the phone from repair in many situations. Also a pleasant surprise will be the ability of the back cover to self-heal, even from minor scratches.

Future

Of course, both one and the other device described above are only the first steps in mastering new technologies, the first steps towards creating completely new types of devices, they are designed to show the capabilities of manufacturing companies, and flexible phones definitely have a future, and There are many ways to use it: wearable electronics (bracelet phone), a tablet that can be folded into a smartphone and then unfolded back. Now all this seems like fantasy, but this is the future, which after several years will no longer seem unusual. New technologies come into our lives and gradually become familiar. Be ready, flexible phones It’s no longer fiction – it’s the reality of the coming decades.

P.S.: I’ve never learned Russian, I apologize in advance for any mistakes.

P.P.S.: This is the first article, so I expect a lot of justified criticism.

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This autumn turned out to be fruitful for new prototypes unusual smartphones. In October, a video with a new one was leaked online. The 30-second video shows a display running Android in Chinese MIUI shell. The unusual shape of the screen does not in any way prevent the user from deftly swiping and moving through applications.

A 2013 Apple patent describing a mobile device with flexible screen

A 2016 Apple patent that depicts a mobile device that folds in half

Arouses curiosity and newness. The documentation describes a device that painfully resembles something from the past - either a book or a flip phone, bent in the middle. The Cupertino team has a patent for another interesting bendable device, which means the company is increasingly working in this direction.

2 of 3

3 of 3

Samsung is not lagging behind Apple. Trying to quickly forget about, Korean company published on a smartphone, probably related to the secret Project Valley. Detailed description and a well-developed render of the model gives a clearer idea of ​​the device.

Lenovo presentation: smartphone bracelet and folding tablet with flexible screen

Lenovo in the summer of 2016 demonstrated a smartphone that can be wrapped around the wrist like a bracelet. At the same presentation it was shown new tablet, folding in half: in this state it turns into a full-fledged smartphone.

Why do you need a bendable smartphone?

Lenovo CPlus Concept

The design has many advantages. Firstly, a device folded in half is easier to carry in your pocket. Secondly, even if it does not fold, a bendable device is more ergonomic - does everyone remember how the sixth iPhones folded in the back pockets of jeans? Plus, new devices promise to be more resistant to damage. Thirdly, the curved configuration is better suited for conversations - the device is more convenient to apply to the cheek. Fourthly, the new product definitely causes a wow effect and should attract users with its unusualness.

Well forgotten old?

LG G Flex with a hard body and a display curved along the horizontal axis

Samsung Galaxy Round with a screen curved around a vertical axis

LG and Samsung have long been experimenting with smartphone screens of unusual shapes. The LG G Flex and G Flex 2, as well as the Samsung Galaxy Round, had curved screens but rigid bodies. According to their owners, such devices are easier to use with one hand: hold it in the palm of your hand and move your thumb in an arc rather than along a plane.

According to the developers, the functionality of bendable devices is even higher. Firstly, the 7-inch phablet can easily be folded in half - which means there will be no problems carrying it in your pocket. And, for example, Lenovo smartphone You can even wear it on your wrist like a watch.

Device demonstration from Queen's University Belfast

In addition, bendable devices represent a completely new way physical interaction with applications. Developers from Queen's University in Belfast clearly demonstrated this on a display from LG: when the smartphone bends, the pages turn on the screen, and the more you bend the device, the faster they turn. The controls in the Angry Birds game are also interesting - and when pulling the slingshot, the user feels the elasticity of the body.

Will these new features take root and how much will they enrich user experience- time will tell. This is not entirely obvious yet. A few years ago it was fashionable to supplement flagship models smartphones with gesture control functions and even blowing into the speaker. In fact, all this looked good only in marketing presentations, and on modern devices these functions look like an atavism.

How does a bendable smartphone work?

Over the past 10 years, engineers have more or less learned how to make flexible OLED displays. LED cells are formed on a substrate made of elastic plastic or flexible metal film, which are covered with a thin protective film. According to expert forecasts, by 2020 the market for these displays will be valued at as much as $4 billion. But to create fully flexible smartphones, you need not only a screen, but also its other parts - a battery, printed circuit boards etc., and all are quite elastic. And it is not yet possible to make all components this way. Most likely, today's first flexible smartphones are short-lived - no one knows how many times they will last until cracks appear on the body and black stripes appear on the screen.

Engineers are increasingly introducing into the insides of a smartphone - their structure resembles a microscopic sheet of wire mesh rolled into a cylinder. This material is built into both conductors and batteries. Apple is also developing its device based on this technology. The patent documentation states that the internal structures consist of carbon nanotubes that form flexible and crack-resistant conductors, circuit boards, antennas and other electrical components.

Battery

Panasonic flexible battery

One of the main stumbling blocks in creating flexible mobile devices- this is a battery. It is known what can happen if you bend an ordinary battery: the integrity of the thin dielectric plate between the cathode and anode can be damaged -! Explosion, burns and a device without a chance of recovery. But manufacturers are looking for a way out. Panasonic in September flexible lithium ion battery, thickness 0.55 mm. The twist angle is not very impressive yet (only 25 degrees in each direction), but such deformation does not in any way affect the current output and charge of the element. The battery also cannot boast of capacity - only 17.5 mAh in comparison, for example, with 1960 mAh in iPhone battery 7. So this type of battery will be used in devices with low current consumption (smart cards, " smart clothes" etc.)

CNet, which got their hands on the device, only said that it works under Android control and has a 4.26-inch display. It is expected that along with this model another one will be released - with a larger diagonal. Smartphones will be available in 12 colors. Other details and prices of the devices are still unknown, but most likely the flexible device will cost more than the average Android smartphone price segment
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