Though Samsung claims to be refocussing their efforts on the mid to low end smartphone markets, Bloomberg is reporting that the South Korean handset maker is preparing a device with a wrap-around display. Citing “two people familiar with the plans”, Bloomberg says the display will be an updated version of the one we see on the Galaxy Round.
While reports suggest it’s a “Galaxy” device, what we’re not sure of is which series Samsung plans to release it in. It could be a Note device, or an S device. We’ve also heard of an F series of ultra-premium handsets. Samsung could also release this under a new moniker.
The report also suggests it to be a “three sided” display. That’s a bit different than the displays we saw recently from CAAC and SEL Displays, where the actual screen itself was curved around an axis, and could display images through the curve. Of course, Samsung recently filed for a patent, which noted the curved display device, but it’s believed to be using their Youm technology.
Samsung’s Youm technology is the same you see popping up in various videos and displays of Samsung’s, in which they have a completely bendable display which requires no housing. While Samsung admits such tech is a long way from the consumer, this technology isn’t. Bloomberg’s sources say this will see the light of day sometime in the second half of 2014.
This all comes as consumer desires for high-end smartphones wanes under the pressure of wearable devices and a plateau in specs. Samsung has been instrumental in both, providing Android benchmarks for sales and marketing with their handsets, and a low barometer for “success” with their Galaxy Gear smartwatch. As they face an expected onslaught with wearables form Google and Apple, with Google already making waves with Glass, Samsung might be going a different route — or all routes, if history repeats.
VIA: Unwiredview
