#TECH: Gimmick or go-to? The smartphone with a rollable screen

SOUTH Korean tech manufacturer LG caused a small sensation when it showed off a prototype smartphone with roll-out display, dubbed the Rollable, at CES 2021. This handset’s screen can roll in and out to adjust the display size for different uses. It could potentially go on sale this year.

During the firm’s press conference, LG gave viewers a quick glimpse of its Rollable prototype, without any further comment.

LG has, in fact, been developing roll-out screen technology for several years, and is now looking to put its expertise to use in consumer products that could potentially come to market. That started with a TV – the spectacular LG Signature OLED R – featuring a display that can roll up into its base to literally disappear and reappear on demand. That was the star of CES two years ago. LG has since developed other screens of the sort – still rollable, but much smaller – for a futuristic car cabin concept. Now, the firm is turning its attention to smartphones.

The LG Rollable has an expandable, resizable screen. A mechanism rolls out and retracts the display as and when needed. Like the famous folding smartphones, the device can effectively transform into a small tablet for uses like watching videos or working with several applications simultaneously, for example.

Still, LG isn’ the only tech manufacturer prepping this kind of smartphone. Oppo and even TCL have already presented concepts on a similar theme, although it remains to be seen whose will be the first to come to market. For his part, LG CEO, I.P. Park, considers that this kind of smartphone could be on the market as soon as this year.

Source: NST