It looks like Samsung is getting set to launch a mobile with a “bent” display later this year, with the most likely candidate being the Galaxy Note 4. The device will likely utilise the YOUM three-sided display technology that Samsung demoed last year. This isn’t the first time we’re hearing about a three-sided screen for the Galaxy Note 4, as rumors last month suggested the same thing.
Analysts claim that Samsung will initially look to manufacture around a million units of the device with the three-sided display, and that it would be targeted at a niche audience. Samsung’s first mobile to utilise a curved screen, the Galaxy Round, wasn’t well received, so it makes sense for the South Korean manufacturer to test the waters again instead of doing an all-out launch.
Samsung is said to be investing around $1.9 billion this year in flexible OLEDs, which is a significant investment. At its Analyst Day last year, Samsung executives revealed that the manufacturer would launch a device with a bendable screen this year, with a truly foldable device set to make its debut sometime in 2015. A major roadblock in designing a foldable device is in creating the battery. A source confirmed the same by saying, “Samsung’s battery segment is still way behind compared to its progress in display technology.” However, it looks like the manufacturer is set to rectify this by investing heavily in battery technology this year.