Flexible Samsung phone 'ready in early 2013'

Samsung will soon begin mass production of phones with displays using plastic rather than glass, a move that will make mobile devices unbreakable and bendable.

 

The company is sampling the displays with "a few customers", reports the Wall Street Journal, and is "in the last phase of development" for the devices, which are expected to be released in the first half of next year, according to its source.
Using a plastic polymer instead of glass, Samsung has produced displays that can roll and bend, and survive falls and blows from the clumsiest of customers.
Samsung is seeking to differentiate itself from other mobile brands in an increasingly cutthroat marketplace, and flexible displays could boost their profile by offering a unique product.
Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), used in televisions and smartphones, have made the flexible phone technology possible, as they are compact and can withstand being placed on ductile materials such as plastic and foil.
More than a year has gone by since Samsung showcased its Galaxy Skin, which purported to offer a high-resolution 800×480 flexible OLED screen and eight megapixel camera, and has still yet to be released.

Companies are also trialling the technology for potential use in digital posters and clothes with digital displays.
The 2012 Plastics show in Birmingham this week showcased some of the technology, although consumers will have to wait at least until the new year before they become commercially available.