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Photo courtesy = LG Electronics
LG Electronics was surprised to see a roll-up smartphone with a rolling screen as an upcoming product. In addition to the ‘LG Wing’ which can turn the screen sideways, new smartphone form factors (device types) are being introduced one after another by revealing a product plan that allows the screen to extend sideways. We are interested in how Samsung Electronics will impact the next-generation form factor market, which is led by foldable (folding) smartphones.
LG Electronics, “Roller Phone in the First Half of Next Year”
On the 14th, LG Electronics made a surprise appearance on the roll-up phone of the LG Wing, a strategic smartphone in the second half of the year. At the end of the public online event, a video was released that is presumed to be a roll-up phone with the phrase “ Hold your breath. ” It is a method of opening and closing the built-in screen like a drawer by holding the right handle.
This is the first time that LG Electronics has released a video of a roll-up phone preview (flavor). This is a passage that implies that a roll-up phone is being prepared for the next job. The industry predicts that this product will be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), a mobile exhibition that will be held in February next year, and will be launched in the first half of the year.
The roll-up phone is expected to be the second ‘Project Explorer’ product after the LG Wing. LG Electronics recently announced a plan to dualize its products into an Explorer project for consumers seeking innovative and differentiated products and an existing product line, ‘Universal Line’. The development of the roll-up phone has been under the name ‘Project B’ within LG Electronics. Design patents related to roll-up telephones have also been filed several times.
The industry is paying attention to whether LG Electronics can improve the integrity of the rollable phone. This is because, as new form factors are released, various problems can be encountered during product development and mass production. When Samsung Electronics launched its first Galaxy Fold folding phone last year, it delayed its launch due to quality issues.
“Find a new market” … New product competition
The smartphone form factor has held the bar type for more than 10 years. The screen size, which was in the range of the first 3 inches, has recently increased to the last 6 inches and the bezel (edge of the screen) has decreased, but the appearance is not much different.
The reason manufacturers test new types of smartphones is market saturation. The global smartphone market has been declining after peaking in 2017. As the performance and durability of the smartphone increased, so did the replacement cycle. To create a new demand in the smartphone market, a different type of product is needed. Securing foldable or roll-up screen technology is also the driving force behind the competition.
Samsung Electronics is the most advanced company in form factor competition. Following the launch of the Galaxy Fold folding phone last year, the Galaxy Z Flip, which folds vertically this year, and the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which recently improved upon the previous work, were introduced one after another.
Huawei entered the competition with the launch of the first Mate X folding smartphone last year. However, the release of the Mate X2 sequel, which was expected by the end of the year due to US trade sanctions, is uncertain.
Last month, Microsoft introduced a Surface Duo smartphone with the Android operating system (OS). It is a product that can be written as a book by attaching two separate screens. Apple has issued several patents related to folding phones, but the specific product plan is not yet known.
An industry insider said, “The core of the form factor competition is the user experience (UX) using hardware,” and “the winner will be judged on the convenience of the experience for users.”
Reporter Lee Seung-woo / Hong Yoon-jung [email protected]
