Rumours that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 could sport a three-sided flexible OLED display first surfaced back in April. A report today by ZDNet Korea now reports that Samsung has begun production of the flexible display, setting the stage for such a device to become reality. It remains at the trial stage though with Samsung only able to produce limited quantities of the display. A source added that a “prototype could come later this year…”
It should be pointed out that the report does not specifically tie production of the flexible display to the Note 4 so it could be something that will only appear on a future device as well. But rumours have also suggested that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 could come in both a regular edition with a flat display as well as a limited edition one with a flexible display. Perhaps Samsung will do what it did last year with the Galaxy Round when it launched it only in South Korea in limited numbers.
The idea behind the three-sided display is to have it wrap around the sides of the device, doing away with the traditional buttons in favour of software buttons as well as widgets and apps able to show information on the sides. For example, an unlock button could be used to swipe up to unlock the device when it is locked. It would make way for other buttons and functions once the smartphone is unlocked.
While we can hope that Samsung will indeed unveil a Galaxy Note 4 variant with a Youm display, the brand under which a three-sided Samsung display would likely be released, the fact that production is still at the trial stage suggests we may have to wait until 2015 to see such a device. Perhaps the rumoured prototype is a future Galaxy S 6 variant with a three-sided Youm display.
All should be revealed on September 3 when Samsung holds its Samsung Unpacked 2014 Episode 2 event just ahead of IFA 2014.
Sources : ZDNet Korea // G for Games