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Samsung Shows Off a Foldable Prototype That Merges Phone and Tablet (usatoday.com)

Posted by msmash on from the marching-forward dept.

At its developer conference Wednesday, Samsung introduced its new Infinity Flex Display, a foldable OLED screen that can allow manufacturers like Samsung to create new, unique devices such as a phone that folds out to become a tablet-like device with a larger display. From a report: "The foldable display lays the foundation for a new kind of mobile experience," said DJ Koh, president and CEO of Samsung IT and mobile communications division, in a statement. "We are excited to work with developers on this new platform to create new value for our customers." Although the product shown Wednesday was just a prototype, the company plans to release a consumer product that features the technology in the coming months. In addition to creating the hardware, Samsung has partnered with Google to work on the software to make sure apps work seamlessly regardless of whether the display is folded in a "smartphone-like" mode or opened fully as akin to a tablet.

8 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. Even more impressive by Provocateur · · Score: 2

    If the clip is to be believed, the display continuity is the extra feature that makes this a never-been-done-before item.

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    WARNING: Smartphones have side effects--most of them undocumented.
  2. Game-changing... maybe by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This could make for an awesome device. I currently own both a phone and a tablet simply because there are so many things which work better with a tablet - but a tablet has obvious, significant portability issues.

    Whether this is truly game-changing, though, will come down to the mundane details regarding just how reliable and durable the tech turns out to be.

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    #DeleteChrome
    1. Re:Game-changing... maybe by 110010001000 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I already have one. It is called FlexPei. https://www.royole.com/flexpai

  3. Video by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here's the important bit

  4. Re:That's what they all said. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    From TFA:

    "In addition to creating the hardware, Samsung has partnered with Google to work on the software to make sure Android apps work seamlessly regardless of whether the display is folded in a "smartphone-like" mode or opened fully like a tablet. The app you were using when the device is closed will be there when you open up the phone in tablet mode.

    When the display is fully unfolded, users will be able to have three apps open at once.

    Google calls these devices "foldables" and is adding support for Android developers to begin making apps for the new category."

    Google has not made any modifications to Android with any prior foldable devices. The fact they are enabling this alone makes it much more imminent.

  5. Do we really want this? by filesiteguy · · Score: 2

    I was a big adopter of the Continuum feature in Windows Mobile. A phone htat can be turned into a quasi PC. I used it at work, where I had a dock plugged into a 27" monitor. The phone correctly would connect to our LAN (but not domain), be able to use printers, network shares (sort of), and allow me to remote desktop into various other PCs. While nice, I felt it really wasn't what I needed. I often want my mobile device (phone) and PC / tablet seperate.

    In fact, I recall Dona Sarkar at Microsoft discussing how MS wasn't going to go this route because they don't see the future being a 2-in-1 device like a phone and mini tablet. The phone will be slightly too big and the tablet slightly too small, she mused. I tend to agree. When I want a tablet, I want a 10" or 12" device and don't want it integrated with my mobile phone.

    I'll wait and see on this one.

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    The Kai's Semi-Updated Website Thingy
  6. What horrible detail did they need to hide? by ffkom · · Score: 2

    Usually, if you are proud to show something, you do not deliberately switch off the lights to make it barely visible. But Samsung did exactly that. So something must be very, very wrong with the prototype. (Maybe like with the Flexpai, where the display surface looks like a shriveled lamination?)

  7. Re:Obvious to whom? by jezwel · · Score: 2

    Dumb: a big display you have to open to the phone to see.
    Obvious: a big display on the outside.

    Lemme just check - does the folding screen use gorilla glass or other non-easily scratched material?
    Answer - not likely (yet anyway).
    So that means the folding screen is going to be a lot less tough than our current Gorilla Glass models.

    Dumb: having your fragile, expensive folding screen on both exterior sides and one edge of your phone, where it will encounter significant friction exposure when carried or placed on a surface
    Obvious: protecting the folding screen internally