Cory Gunther
Today Samsung’s Display division unveiled some exciting next-generation screen technology for smartphones, tablets, and even laptops. Taking part in the annual Display Week Event 2021, we got our first glimpse at a double-folding display, along with a neat sliding or rollable smartphone panel.
The futuristic screens by Samsung include “S-foldable” and “slidable” or “rollable” displays for mobile devices and “UPC” for laptops. Shown above is Samsung’s concept sliding screen, which promises to extend the screen horizontally without any folds while keeping the shape of current smartphones.
Samsung is a leader in folding and flexible display technology, but it’s worth mentioning we’ve seen similar concepts by TCL, LG, and more.
Perhaps the most exciting is the S-foldable OLED panel, which Samsung owns several patents on. This concept device works like a regular smartphone when double-folded but then fully opens into a large 7.2-inch tablet. Our only concern would be the two “creases” on the screen, but we hope Samsung figures out a way to prevent creases in folding plastic displays.
While these are all concept devices from Samsung’s virtual demo, we could definitely see a few of these coming to market soon. One of which is the foldable tablet display pictured above. This is essentially a super-sized version of the Galaxy Fold. This display tech is like a regular tablet that folds open into a huge 17-inch screen for more real estate or to even double as a monitor on the go.
And finally, we saw another teaser for Samsung’s “Under Panel Camera” UPC tech. This essentially hides the camera under the display, which we’ve seen in a few smartphones as of late, only on a laptop to minimize bezels and maximize the screen. Samsung continues to work on UPC tech for phones, tablets, and now laptops. Rumors suggest the first Samsung device with an under-screen camera will be the upcoming Galaxy Fold 3.
In closing, remember that the items shown here are demo products and concepts that may or may not become a reality. That said, Samsung is all-in on foldables lately, so don’t be surprised if we see several of these within the next 12-18 months.
Source: Samsung Display, via Engadget
