LG’s working on bendy, rolly, flexy P-OLED screens for every gadget you can imagine

By Andy Boxall Published November 10, 2014

LG Display has revealed its future plans for P-OLED displays, which could include using the new type of screen on smartphones, tablets, computers, and even televisions. LG debuted the plastic-OLED screen on the G Watch R smartwatch, which has recently gone on sale around the world, and previously used a version of it on the G Flex curved smartphone.

There are several reasons why the continued development of P-OLED displays is a good thing. The screens are thinner and lighter than OLED screens built using glass, are far less complex in design, and are more eco-friendly. The plastic cover is also considerably tougher than glass, and won’t shatter in the event of a sharp impact.

LG PLOED Screen Roadmap — Image used with permission by copyright holder

This strength also comes with flexibility – hence its use on the curved LG G Flex – and that’s where the company sees the display tech being used in the near future. According to the plans, we should look out for a “bending” smartphone with a P-OLED screen next year, which presumably will be the sequel to the G Flex, a device about which we’ve heard rumors before.

Recommended Videos

Following the smartphone, P-OLED screens should be introduced on tablets, an area of the market where LG has had some success over the past year. Whether the tablets will bend, or simply be harder wearing, or feature a much smaller bezel – another advantage of P-OLED displays – isn’t clear. There’s also a chance we may see other wearable hardware using small versions of the screen over the next twelve months.

The roadmap shows P-OLED tablets arriving in late 2015, after which there will be a lull until 2017, when foldable computers, tablets with rollable P-OLED displays, and huge rollable televisions are on the agenda. LG also indicates it will produce bendable P-OLED screens for use in cars.

Although a bendable smartphone sounds like a distinct possibility for 2015, LG’s long-term plans for P-OLED screens will depend on the speed with which the technology matures, but if this approximate timeline is accurate, our favorite mobile devices are set to undergo considerable changes over the next few years.

Topics

Senior Mobile Writer

Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…

Mobile

Acer is making a smart ring, and doing it the right way

Acer FreeSense smart ring in black and rose gold colors.

Acer is bringing some really impressive computing gear to the Computex event in Taipei this year. From the sleek Swift Edge 14 AI that is nearly half a pound lighter than the MacBook Air to the sleek Predator Triton 14 AI gaming laptop, the company has grabbed quite a few eyeballs.

What came as the biggest surprise was Acer’s shift into the direction of wearables, and specifically, smart rings. At the ongoing show, the company revealed Acer FreeSense, a lightweight smart ring that looks pretty neat and comes loaded with health-sensing features, but with a welcome surprise in tow.

Mobile

AI app clicks nail selfie to detect blood condition affecting billions

Person clicking picture of their nails.

Nearly two billion people across the world suffer from a blood condition called anemia. People living with anemia have a lower than average number of red blood cells, or the hemoglobin (Hgb) protein, and as a result, reduced oxygen carrying capacity.

Chronic anemia can lead to serious health issues such as heart attack and organ damage, with pregnant women being at a particularly higher risk. So far, anemia identification has required a visit to the clinic for CBC blood tests, Hemoglobin and Hematocrit analysis, or peripheral blood smear assessment.

Mobile

5 phones you should buy instead of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

A person taking the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge out of a pocket.

It's an undeniable fact that smartphones have gotten larger and larger over the years. Samsung is trying to turn back the years with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, a smartphone that embraces everything we love about modern phones, but tries to make it just that little bit more svelte. The result is a phone that's just 5.9mm thick, making other flagships look like lumbering brutes.

The Galaxy S25 Edge's slimness is going to mean compromises, of course — chiefly, the battery size is smaller than its competitors, and while the build is thinner, there's a worry that could make the phone easier to damage. All of this is pure supposition until we get chance to review the phone, of course, and if you're considering buying the S25 Edge, we'd recommend waiting until our final review until you make a decision. But that doesn't change the fact that there are a number of strong smartphones out there that can do the S25 Edge's job well, and sometimes, better. Here are five phones you should buy instead of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.