Among the many high-profile announcements ahead of CES in January 2019, the flexible display seems to be the most significant. A potentially new technology could spawn a whole range of new products. Solid screens are pretty much the norm today, and it's hard to tell the difference between OLED and LCD technology. Therefore, Android phone makers, which do not have the ability to distinguish themselves with their own software, are forced to look for new trends in hardware with which they could win the competition.
Firstborns of new technology
The history of flexible screens began many years ago, but it looks like the new technology will hit the market as early as 2019. The two main problems with such displays were their high cost and low demand, since no one had any idea what to do with them.
Times have changed as users demand that small devices have a large screen. This means that it is time for flexible displays to hit the market, provided they are made correctly. What Samsung hinted at when launching the Note 9, and what LG mentioned, the Chinese company Royole, in collaboration with Rouyu Technology, has already implemented.
The smartphone-sized device can be deployed to expand into a small tablet. Unlike the ZTE Axon M, it is a seamless fold screen that has touch capabilities in any condition. However, it is obvious that it still has problems, as during the demo, flickering of the display is clearly noticeable when it transitions from one form to another.
Promotional video:
Flexible screens problems
Other disadvantages of the device include its pliability (why do you need a panel that bends when touched?) And weak protection, since smartphones are constantly falling, and the standard Gorilla Glass will not work in this case. This problem can most likely be solved with hard plastic and a rigid back panel, but then something will have to be done about the scratches, since plastic is much easier to ruin than glass. All these problems can be solved, and now that Samsung and LG are transparently hinting that such devices will become available next year, this will be the main topic at CES next January.
The next stage in the development of screen technologies
It is now clear that flexible displays have a good prospect given the demand for large screens in compact, stylish and reliable devices. Korean and Japanese companies do the best at this, and so while the Chinese are pushing things forward, the display market leaders should ultimately take over most of the market.
There are no signs on the horizon of an alternative form factor that could replace black glass panels, so this is the only thing that will drive the market any time soon.
Most likely, this is the future of hardware development after solid screens and OLEDs that have dominated the spec race for the past few years. However, don't expect a similar product from Apple until 2020.
Author: Sergey Prots
