LG reaffirms flexible smartphone screen plans, on track for launch later this year

By Andy Boxall April 25, 2013

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Check out our review of the LG G Flex smartphone.

LG is really keen to let everyone know it’s set to release a smartphone with a flexible screen at some point this year. The President of LG Mobile, Yoon Bu-hyun, has told the Wall Street Journal it has entered into a partnership with LG Display, and wants to, “Introduce a smartphone with a flexible OLED screen in the fourth quarter.”

Earlier this month, an anonymous source was quoted in the Korea Times as saying the firm was hard at work on its first run of flexible screens, which would be made available, “Later this year.” Shortly afterwards, LG’s head of mobile comms in Europe talked about the impeding release of the Optimus G2, and said its top-of-the-range smartphone would feature, “Something different, something unique.” With the Optimus G2 set for release sometime around September or October, it’s only logical to concur the two reports are related.

Now Yoon Bu-hyun has chimed in too, the likelihood of a flexible screened Optimus G2 has increased again. Of course, just because executives say it’ll happen, doesn’t mean it really will, as flexible screens are still considered next-generation technology, therefore production methods are still being perfected and could be subject to delays. The WSJ report says investors are closely watching LG, as they’re not convinced it can meet this ambitious target.

LG’s desperation to launch a smartphone with a flexy screen may be driven by arch-rival Samsung’s desire to do the same. Another rumor report this month suggested the Galaxy Note 3 will have a plastic, almost unbreakable OLED display, measuring at least 5.9-inches; however there were question marks over not only the resolution such a screen would support, but also whether enough could be made to give the a device a meaningful international launch.

We know flexible screens are coming, but despite all this bluster from LG, whether they will do so in 2013 is still very uncertain.

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Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…

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