Would you buy a phone with a flexible display?

[wizzrah]

The Samsung Galaxy Curve was leaked. It is said to have a curved flexible display. Would you buy a phone with a flexible display? Why or why not? I personally seemed to be interested in a flexible display but am suspicious of it's durability and whether it is just a gimmick.

Update: The phone is official. Read about it here.

 

[Aquila]

Is the rest of the phone flexible (battery, logic board, chassis, etc)?

 

[DS1331]

No just another gimmick and people trying to "innovate" but it's nothing revolutionary. Someone will prob come out with a flexable display phone in 2 years that's actually worth buying

Sent from my HTC One

 

[zkSharks]

The Galaxy Nexus had a slight curve to the glass (though the display itself was of the standard flat variety). Though some dismissed it right away, I can say I noticed a difference when actually using the phone as a phone — that is, it felt a bit more natural while holding it up to your head. I would guess that any sort of design decisions based around flexible display technologies would have some sort of functional basis. For example, I can see it being easier to reach the top-left corner (when holding a device in one's right hand) with a slightly curved device.

The technology itself isn't a gimmick, but you're certainly right in that we have yet to see any indication of which — if any — manufacturers will 'push the envelope', so to speak, with flexible display implementations.

Edit:

I should add that after watching the videos on the Galaxy Round and its software features (tilt to wake the display up, for example), I would say that Samsung's implementation isn't revolutionary, but it is certainly proper. By that, I mean that Samsung has implemented software features that offer simple but potentially beneficial features to the user, and these features are a direct result of incorporating the new hardware technology. Tilting the phone to show the time, notifications, and battery status is very similar to Moto's Active Display and LG's Knock-On features. My personal opinion of the "Galaxy Round" isn't too favorable, but at the same time I can't fault them for doing anything "wrong" with what is likely the first commercially-available flexible-display phone.

Also, it'll be a while before we see these commercially available in the U.S. at prices comparable to current flagship devices. Notice that the Galaxy Round is priced at 1.09 million Won, which is roughly $1,015.

 

[wizzrah]

Is the rest of the phone flexible (battery, logic board, chassis, etc)?

I don't think we are there yet. it seems only the display is flexible but the rest of the chassis is fixed. I think the flexible display is more for a comfortable shape I guess.

 

[zkSharks]

I don't think we are there yet. it seems only the display is flexible but the rest of the chassis is fixed. I think the flexible display is more for a comfortable shape I guess.

True, but then take a look at this display technology in the context of the form factor of 10" (and larger) tablets. Minimize the internals, shift them to one side, incorporate some sort of new high-energy-density (read: small) battery technology, and we've got futuristic touchscreen dynamic newspapers that can be rolled up and secured/snapped onto the rigid side (where the internal components would reside).

Flexible displays will do cool things for phones, but that's not what I'm excited about.

 

[gone down south]

The current generation "flexible" screens just means that the glass will bend and flex instead of cracking under impact.
It doesn't mean the whole phone will twist.

 

[wizzrah]

True, but then take a look at this display technology in the context of the form factor of 10" (and larger) tablets. Minimize the internals, shift them to one side, incorporate some sort of new high-energy-density (read: small) battery technology, and we've got futuristic touchscreen dynamic newspapers that can be rolled up and secured/snapped onto the rigid side (where the internal components would reside).

Flexible displays will do cool things for phones, but that's not what I'm excited about.

Plus if you can roll it up, it'll take up less space on the go right? And what possibilities about flexible displays excite you then?

Sent from my One X using Tapatalk 2

 

[Sizzers]

The current generation "flexible" screens just means that the glass will bend and flex instead of cracking under impact.
It doesn't mean the whole phone will twist.

Depending upon the display quality and durability this could be a Godsend for dropped phones and smashed screens.

However I'm not convinced on either score at the moment, particularly with regards to durability as regardless of the type of plastic used I cannot see it being terribly scratch resistant in the long term. Makes me think of the curved screen gimmick LG and Samsung are trying to introduce in to the home cinema market: IMAX in your living room? I don't think so.

 

[garublador]

The current generation "flexible" screens just means that the glass will bend and flex instead of cracking under impact.
It doesn't mean the whole phone will twist.

That's what I'm excited about. I don't care if they make them perfectly flat, I just like the idea that they are much less resistant to cracking.