Not much else is known at this time, but with Samsung preparing to
produce foldable displays in January as well, it's clear that competition is about to heat up.
Not exact matches
According to industries on the 13th, Samsung Electronics and Samsung
Display have set a goal of releasing prototype of
foldable Smartphone in this third quarter in order to verify quality of
foldable Smartphone by
producing thousands of prototypes.
Considering Samsung's proven track record at mass -
producing new
display tech, it seems plausible that the electronics giant can deliver on a
foldable, flexible smartphone.
Mass production of these
foldable display screens will begin in 2018, ETnews can confirm, but a prototype of the same
display screen has already been
produced by the South Korean tech giant.
Samsung reportedly
produced a number of dual - screen smartphones made up of two OLED
displays joined by a hinge this year to test the promise and capabilities of a
foldable device.
The same ETNews said in mid-December that LG
Display is looking to mass -
produce foldable screens for a number of partners, including Apple, Google, and Microsoft.
But LG
Display will compete with Samsung for Apple orders in 2018 when it's expected to start mass -
producing foldable OLED screens that could equip smartphones and tablets with curved
displays, or devices that can be folded.
According to ET News, Samsung will start mass -
producing foldable OLED
displays sometime towards the second half of 2016 and the release timeframe is expected to be next year.
We have yet to see the first mass
produced smartphone with
foldable display, so some time will pass until a phone with rollable
display actually arrives.
Since the company sources OLED
displays for its smartphones from its
display - making subsidiary, that part of the company has to start
producing foldable OLED panels before the mobile division can put a device together and launch it.
Citing industry sources, the report says the Korean giant plans to come up with the
foldable display's final design in March, mass
produce panels in September, and ultimately start mass production of the
foldable smartphone in November.