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Samsung Rumored to Debut First Foldable Smartphone This Year
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Yes, I've been saying this since the rumors of LTE being added to the Apple Watch. Why carry a phone with a huge screen around when it really isn't need all that often. Put the phone on the wrist, and allow the watch to connect with whatever screen is available. A rolled up screen the size of a pen would be fantastic to carry around, while it could be paired to a work monitor, or displays in coffee houses, etc. as needed.
I am sure mean you mean unintended bendgate. /s
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You mean flip phones, kinda different as those did not have a folding display. Please don’t try to come across as cheeky.
With OLED technology the big development here is getting the reliability of the bend (for both the OLED panel, the driving circuitary and the encapsulation/plastic strength. I imaging the device will have to survive 10-20 bends per day for at least 2 years which is over >10,000. Also as this will have a very small bend radius they will need to make sure that the screen does not develop a crease.
Mark my words - once this technology matures it will be everywhere (incuding Apple devices). It is going to be the thing that keeps OLED going after microLED comes in.
Mark my words - once this technology matures it will be everywhere (incuding Apple devices). It is going to be the thing that keeps OLED going after microLED comes in.
I am sure if Apple released an iPhone that could fold people would sing Cooks praise and say their innovate. While the competition does something in the innovation space and suddenly criticism is rampant.
This is what innovation looks like. Notch not so, edge to edge screen on the iPhone X is innovation. However guess who makes those AMOLED screens, that’s correct a common thread.
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VR googles with a low profile is the killer of all flat or curved tv screens.
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It's far more than that. The average person checks his or her phone every 12 minutes - which adds up to a grand total of 80 times a day. How many of those uses will involve them unfolding the device. It could be a LOT higher than 10,000 bends in 2 years.
The battery in rollaway displays is the hurdle along with some other components. Carbon nano tubes should resolve some of these limitations.
Would love a device that doubles as phone and tablet. Let's see if they can keep it thin and still have s-pen storage. S-pen is a big differentiator, so it needs attention in this design.
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Oh, like homepod, ping, base station, apple pen, apple car (epic fail) and a few other apple novelties? What products has Samsung "moved on" from? I think Samsung is actually becoming more innovative while Cook & Co. are not sure what to do next.
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Oh, like homepod, ping, base station, apple pen, apple car (epic fail) and a few other apple novelties? What products has Samsung "moved on" from? I think Samsung is actually becoming more innovative while Cook & Co. are not sure what to do next.
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Yep, companies developing these are not aiming for a super tight crease fold. That would break the display circuits.
They're only trying for as small a radius of a round curve-back as possible.
Most likely using foldable screens bought from Samsung.
For years they've shown prototypes that open flat. e.g.
Edit: Demos by other companies like BOE don't show full open. Perhaps those are the videos you mean.
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I may be imagining a different deigns then. Rollaway screen require some current, frame or substrate to allow it to change states from rigid t flexiable. Without it you will be holding the display as a scroll. Another problem is touch input, with a rollaway display there is nothing on the other end fora portion of the display to provide resistance, what you get is a vortex type effect and that has its own problems with a touch UX/UI OS. People have to learn how to interact with a light touch, if you believe you have a light touch on the glass display now, wait till it is plastic with a different feel and pressure interaction.
A lot could go wrong, but you have to break some eggs to make an omlet. Let’s be clear, Apple is going to keep ...... on you and tell you it’s raining. They’re going to continue convincing you that “the Notch” is soooo great. Apple does not innovate. Innovationg is risky and can be very unprofitable. You know how you get to $1Tillion market value, sell fanboys watch bands for over $100 that they’ll have to replace the next year. As long as Apple doesn’t screw up the iPad, I’m here, but when that happens.........
Let's see how easy a small coin such as a US Dime in a pocket works it's way in between the fold. 
It will need to be a phone on one outward-facing panel (maybe only notifications, answering calls, and basic functionality), and a full display on the inside. Otherwise, you're right that it might be too much of a pain to open and close all day. Also, not sure what a case would look like. Perhaps something like the Note 9 s-view case.
Last I checked, glass wasn’t bendable or foldable. I want no part of a plastic display, especially one that will ultimately wear and have a wear crease. Give me something holographic, a la ‘The Expanse’ or Tony Stark, otherwise, I’ll still with a single piece of rigid glass.
That folding demo is actually realllllly nice looking. Phone folding into a small makeup compact-like size. Potentially a lot more pocketable and keeps the screen free from scratches.
I don’t trust it to actually work yet but it’s got a lot of potential.
I don’t want tablets with foldy screens though..
I don’t trust it to actually work yet but it’s got a lot of potential.
I don’t want tablets with foldy screens though..
Others have noted, but many seem to not realize that the folding phone is going to have to have a plastic screen. And because of that, it’s going to scratch far worse than a glass screen. It will certainly have benefits, like improved crack resistance, but it will likely develop a milky white crease line over time as the plastic stretches and deforms. That will ruin the folding screen visual.
A screen that unrolls would be more resistant to fold lines, but it won’t then have the rigidity you’ll need to hold and interact with it.
There are a lot of technological improvements needed before this folding display can work the way some people hope it will work.
A screen that unrolls would be more resistant to fold lines, but it won’t then have the rigidity you’ll need to hold and interact with it.
There are a lot of technological improvements needed before this folding display can work the way some people hope it will work.
I'm more excited for the tech inside that will potentialltncone to other devices and uses than the actual phone itself. Let's not forget that Samsung manufactures a ton of components that go into other's products.
Samsung could make a phone that turned water into wine, copper into gold, and gave back massages and I wouldn't spend a dime on it. Samsung is a despicable company and they will NEVER get another dollar from me for any of their name-brand products.
Mark
Mark