Displays that can be folded and rolled up have been shown in prototype smartphones, wearables and other devices -- but when will such products be available?
Advances
in technology suggest they aren't too far off in the future. Such devices could
start showing up as early as next year or 2018, said Jerry Kang, senior
principal analyst for emerging display technologies and OLED at analyst firm
IHS.
Manufacturers
are trying to launch them in devices like tablets that can fold into a
smartphone-size device. It's possible to use these displays in wearable
devices, but reliability, weight and battery life need to be considered, Kang
said.
Small
folding screens will likely come before larger ones, mainly due to the
economics of making such displays, Kang said.
The
displays will be based on OLED (organic light-emitting diode), considered a
successor to current LED technology. OLEDs don't have lighting back-panels,
making them thinner and more power efficient.
At CES this year, LG showed a stunningly thin paper-like
display that could roll up. The company projects it will deliver foldable OLEDs
by next year.
There
are advantages to screens that can be folded or rolled up. They could lead to
innovative product designs and increase the mobility of devices, Kang said.
For
example, it could be easier to fit screens around the contours of a battery and
other components. It will also provide a level of flexibility in how a user can
change the shape of a device.
But
challenges remain in making such screens practical, Kang said.
A
display has multiple functional layers such as cover lenses, touch panels and
polarizers, all made of different materials. A large number of layers could
limit the ability to bend and fold. But removing layers also presents problems.
For example, removing the touch panel could make such a screen useless for
smartphones and tablets.
The
size of batteries and circuits are of lesser concern in designing bendable
screens, Kang said. The screens can be folded around components.
Displays
that can fold and roll are an extension of flexible displays, which are already
in wearables, smartphones and TVs. For example, some TVs have flexible screens
that are designed so that they can be slightly curved.
Samsung
and LG started using flexible AMOLED displays in smartphones in 2013 and are
adapting those screens for wearables. Those companies are also leading the
charge to bring displays that can bend and fold to devices.
The
sorts of flexible displays that are used in curved products are still in their
infancy, but IHS projects such screens to continue siphoning market share from
non-flexible displays. In 2022, 433.3 million flexible displays will ship,
compared to 3.6 billion units of non-flexible displays.
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