Waiting
Last July we noted a LG Electronics patent filing that described a ‘rollable’ mobile device that allowed the user to expand the size of the device and display by pulling the display out of a hidden roller inside the device. When not in the extended mode, the display rolls back up as a rollable window shade might. At the time, LG had been working to develop a foldable/rollable device under a program known as ‘Project B’, looking to find some way to differentiate a foldable product from those already produced by Samsung, Huawei, and Motorola. Such devices have been under development for many years with the promise of displays that can be greatly extended for reading, yet rolling up to the size of a pen.
Both Samsung and LG have promised such devices, and shown early prototypes, but we still wait for the day when we can pull a readable display out of a pen-sized device, avoiding having to carry a phone or similar piece of bulky electronics. Chinese brand Oppo (pvt) has teased with a short video of an extendable device and BOE (200725.CH) is said to be closing in on a small sized rollable display, but LG Display might be getting close to being the first to actually commercialize a rollable smartphone, if the short teaser they attached to their CES presentation is any indication. It’s very short and gives no information as to potential cost or availability, and is still far away from the scrollable pen we are still waiting for, but LG has hinted that it was looking to release a rollable device early this year and while there is no guarantee that the video means anything more than others, LG has considerable experience with rollable devices.
LG already has a rollable OLED TV that is available in South Korea, if you are willing to spend ~$87,000 for the 65” model, but a mobile version would entail far different technology. The display, depending on the size of the roller, would see even pressure as it rolls or unrolls, rather than the crease point foldable displays see when closed. While this would reduce potential creasing, the display would have to roll to a size of less than 8mm if the device were to match current smartphones, and the extended structure of the device would have to be rigid enough to keep the display taut and flat, yet easily snapped back to normal size and scrolled. There have been many patents expounding various mobile device structures to accomplish these goals, along with innumerable scrolling schemes, but taking those patents and translating them into a mass production device that is more than a novelty has proved challenging. That said, we believe smartphone and display designers and engineers are getting quite close to a commercial ‘rollable’ device and while it might not be the stretchable pen we are looking for, it would be a first step toward same.
Both Samsung and LG have promised such devices, and shown early prototypes, but we still wait for the day when we can pull a readable display out of a pen-sized device, avoiding having to carry a phone or similar piece of bulky electronics. Chinese brand Oppo (pvt) has teased with a short video of an extendable device and BOE (200725.CH) is said to be closing in on a small sized rollable display, but LG Display might be getting close to being the first to actually commercialize a rollable smartphone, if the short teaser they attached to their CES presentation is any indication. It’s very short and gives no information as to potential cost or availability, and is still far away from the scrollable pen we are still waiting for, but LG has hinted that it was looking to release a rollable device early this year and while there is no guarantee that the video means anything more than others, LG has considerable experience with rollable devices.
LG already has a rollable OLED TV that is available in South Korea, if you are willing to spend ~$87,000 for the 65” model, but a mobile version would entail far different technology. The display, depending on the size of the roller, would see even pressure as it rolls or unrolls, rather than the crease point foldable displays see when closed. While this would reduce potential creasing, the display would have to roll to a size of less than 8mm if the device were to match current smartphones, and the extended structure of the device would have to be rigid enough to keep the display taut and flat, yet easily snapped back to normal size and scrolled. There have been many patents expounding various mobile device structures to accomplish these goals, along with innumerable scrolling schemes, but taking those patents and translating them into a mass production device that is more than a novelty has proved challenging. That said, we believe smartphone and display designers and engineers are getting quite close to a commercial ‘rollable’ device and while it might not be the stretchable pen we are looking for, it would be a first step toward same.
Rollable OLED Pen rendering - Source: Universal Display
- LG Rollable (from Teaser) - Source: LG USA
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