Samsung has probably got a race on their hands. LG has confirmed that they will be entering mass production with “the world’s first flexible OLED panel for smartphones”, which use a plastic substrate instead of the traditional glass.
Samsung, if you recall, has got a curved smartphone display due this month but LG’s press release makes it seem as if LG has them beat. The flexible OLED panel will measure just 0.44mm, according to LG, and will weigh in at 7.2 grams for a 6-inch screen. Actual products featuring the wobbly tech are only expected to arrive early next year so, unless Samsung has something up their sleeves for 2013, it’s down to who can get their curves on the market first.
LG may be able to lob an actual curveball to pretty much everyone with another announcement however. LG Chem has revealed that that are currently mass producing both curved and stepped batteries, with cable batteries on the way, following improvements to the production methods and how much charge they can hold. These are batteries which deviate from the traditional rectangular design and are a key component for flexible devices. A paper-thin smartphone display and a cable battery might just equal a semi-foldable phone but for now, expect curved batteries in LG’s next range of smartphones.