Samsung has been working on roll-up smartphone prototypes for years. We no longer count the number of patents filed by the manufacturer concerning this technology. And precisely, the patent for a smartphone with an unfoldable screen was published in May 2022. The opportunity to create some 3D concepts thanks to the information provided.
In just a few models, Samsung has easily established itself as the undisputed leader in the foldable smartphone market. A position reinforced by the excellent sales of Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3, the latest foldable devices from the South Korean manufacturer.
According to a study published in August 2021, this trend should not run out of steam in 2023 with a tenfold increase in sales if we are to believe the estimates made by Counterpoint Research. For its part, numerous patents prove that Samsung is already working on the industry’s next major innovationto know smartphones equipped with a roll-up screen.
As of January 30, 2021, the Seoul firm has also announced work on prototypes of smartphones with a roll-up or sliding screen. Samsung is not the only manufacturer working on the subject, as evidenced by Oppo’s attempts with the Oppo X 2021 or LG’s prototype called LG Rollable.
This is what Samsung’s roll-up screen smartphone could look like
As our colleagues from the SamMobile site explain, Samsung filed a patent for a smartphone with a roll-up screen in 2020, and good news this patent was finally published in May 2022. In fact, the data contained therein is accessible to the general public and the press. For the occasion, the site has partnered with Jermain Smit, 3D concept designer renowned for his work (which you can admire on his YouTube channel).
3D designs crafted by Jermaine Smit illustrate how the roll-up screen would be able to expand to cover the entire rear panel of the device, thus drastically increasing the surface of the screen. We can compare this panel to a version on steroids of Samsung’s Edge screens.
The size of the screen would however remain smaller than that offered by a foldable device like the Galaxy Fold 3. Before getting carried away, however, it should be remembered that Samsung files thousands of patents each year in order to protect hundreds and hundreds of ideas. And they are not all systematically exploited in commercial products., far from there. In fact, there is no indication that Samsung’s eventual roll-up screen smartphone will adopt this design.
