Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Samsung rolls into SID Display Week with a fully flexible smartphone screen

By Christian de Looper May 25, 2016

samsung roll up display sid 2016 samsungdisplay — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Samsung is known for some of its crazy ideas, and it has come up with plenty of concepts for flexible displays in the past, even implementing one in the Edge series of smartphones. But now it wants to take things to the next level with a completely rollable display. It was shown off at SID Display Week 2016 in San Francisco, and basically makes Samsung‘s OLED technology ultra-portable.

Unrolled, the display is 5.7 inches and offers a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080, so Samsung really isn’t messing around — this is the quality of display you would expect to find on any smartphone with decent specs. According to SlashGear, the display isn’t just great on paper, but it’s also just as bright and vivid as you would expect from any other Samsung display.

Of course, the best thing about this display isn’t how great the actual display is — it’s how small it can get. Because of the fact that the display is only 0.3mm thick, it can be rolled up onto a metal cylinder with a radius of 10mm.

The tech isn’t perfect yet — the display is 0.3mm thick, but only as a display. In other words, there’s no touch layer, and once implemented, the touch layer will affect both the thickness and the flexibility of the display, so don’t expect to have a rollable smartphone just yet. Samsung also has yet to figure out where to put a battery for the display to make it a commercially viable device, and the company hasn’t said how many times the display can be rolled and unrolled before it might crack or break.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a display that can be rolled up like a newspaper. LG shows off an equally impressive roll-up TV earlier this year. Between LG and Samsung, the future looks bright for flexible screens.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Christian de Looper

Contributor

Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…

Mobile

The best Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra screen protectors

samsung galaxy note 20 ultra review side buttons

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra provides a near-flawless experience, from its 6.9-inch screen with variable 120Hz refresh rate to its handy S Pen and impressive battery life. If you recently got a Note 20 Ultra or plan on getting one soon, you’ll definitely want a screen protector and a quality case.

The Ultra line is a hefty investment, and you should do all you can to protect it. To protect the phone’s AMOLED screen, here are 10 of the best Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra screen protectors you can get right now.
InvisibleShield GlassFusion+ Screen Protector

Mobile

The best Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus screen protectors

S20 screen protector feature image

A screen protector is a simple accessory that can prevent damage to your smartphone screen, protecting it from scratches, dirt, fingerprints, and humidity.

If you own a Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, we recommend using a screen protector to protect the edge-to-edge display. You can choose between film and tempered glass screen protectors, but it's worth noting that some of the glass protectors can affect the S20 Plus ultrasonic fingerprint sensor -- something to bear in mind if you use it regularly.

Mobile

The best Samsung Galaxy S20 screen protectors

Samsung Galaxy S20 held in hand

With more processing power than the average laptop, a 64-megapixel camera, and a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED display, you'll want to keep your new Samsung Galaxy S20 as safe as possible. After spending your hard-earned cash on a new smartphone, the last thing you want is to have your phone screen scratched or damaged because you didn’t safeguard it. We've included both TPU and tempered glass protectors in our list of the best Samsung Galaxy S20 screen protectors, but it's worth noting that tempered glass screen protectors can sometimes interfere with the S20's ultrasonic fingerprint sensors -- so if you use this feature, you might want to stick with the flexible film options.
IQ Shield Film Screen Protector

This smart film screen protector is one of the easiest around to apply for a bubble-free finish. Its self-healing technology keeps minor scratches at bay, and the film is UV treated to prevent yellowing. It works with the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, won't affect touch sensitivity, and comes with a screen protector, squeegee, and lint-less cloth. It's available in a pack of three, so you can share with your partner or family member, or keep a couple of spares aside for future use.
Whitestone Dome Tempered Glass Screen Protector