A new report from South Korea claims that Samsung is working on a smartphone display that will be curved not just at the sides, but also at the top and bottom.
Such a display will be a further improvement on the screen of the company's recently released flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S8. Will the next Samsung Galaxy smartphone feature the new screen?
Samsung Working On Screen That Curves On Four Sides
The report, published by South Korea's ETNews, states that Samsung Display and LG Display are working together for the project to create a truly bezel-less display for smartphones.
By having the screen curved at all four sides and eliminating the top and bottom bezels, the screen-to-body ratio of a smartphone with such a display will be more than 98 percent. In comparison, the screen-to-body ratio of the Galaxy S8 is 83 percent.
However, the display will likely not be featured in a smartphone this year, as Samsung works to solve the main challenge in creating a screen that curves on all four sides.
The Challenge For Bezel-less Displays
Creating a truly bezel-less screen is not an easy feat. According to the report, the main challenge in the project lies in the lamination process that Samsung uses for its displays.
OLED panels go through a lamination process that introduces a protective layer to the screen, in addition to adding the touch film to the display. However, if the screen is curved on all four sides, the four corners of the display are rendered useless. This is because the current lamination process that Samsung uses will not allow the corners to register the touch of users.
According to one of ETNews' sources, this challenge is also the reason why Apple decided to incorporate a flat OLED panel into its upcoming iPhone 8 instead of the previously rumored curved OLED screen.
Samsung and LG are now working to find a workaround for the problem. Samsung has given itself several months to improve its lamination process to work with a screen that curves on all sides, as the company is planning to unveil the display early next year.
However, in addition to the lamination process, Samsung may have to improve the durability of the screen, as more glass on the face of a smartphone means a higher surface area for a component that may shatter when dropped.
Such a time frame means that Samsung could be looking to incorporate a truly bezel-less display for the Galaxy S9.
Samsung Galaxy S8 Rolled Out
While Samsung is already working on technology that may be for the Galaxy S9, customers are still focused on getting the most out of the recently launched Galaxy S8.
Upgrading to the Galaxy S8, especially for Galaxy S6 users who will soon have their two-year contract expire, is a no-brainer, as the latest flagship Samsung smartphones packs more powerful specifications and improved features. One criticism against the Galaxy S8, however, is the location of the fingerprint sensor. Placed at the back of the device, users may find themselves smudging their camera lens more often than they would like when trying to reach for the sensor with their finger.
Samsung also made sure that the Galaxy S8 is safe from exploding batteries, as the company looks to move away from the stigma left by the controversial Galaxy Note 7.
