Samsung and LG are racing to beat each other in the TV display arena, and the same seems to be true for the smartphone space. Both of the South Korean companies will release a smartphone with a flexible display very soon – but still in a fixed housing. 

Flexible displays coming to smartphones
Samsung recently said that they plan to "introduce a curved display smartphone in October ". Now, CNET reports that LG also has a smartphone with a curved 6” display coming out, reportedly in November. Even though the display will be flexible, the actual phone will not be. The display will be mounted in a fixed, probably curved, housing.


LGs exhibited this 5-inch flexible OLED in February

OLED technology has not been specifically mentioned, but earlier rumors suggest that both will introduce the smartphones with an OLED panel, based on a plastic substrate that can bend. Samsung and LG are both building mass production facilities for flexible OLED displays, and they are currently running trial production tests. Mass production is expected to start by the end of 2013 or in early 2014.

Both manufacturers have exhibited flexible OLED displays on several occasions, such as this  5-inch prototype from LG. OLED is expected to be the next major display technology after LCD and plasma.

- Source: Samsung & CNET