Samsung will release a curved version of the Galaxy S6 smartphone in the next couple of weeks, but a revolutionary display is already being linked with its Galaxy S7 successor. Samsung has unquestionably become associated with delivering quality screens, and with its curved display technology in particular. We first witnessed this, at the time, unique display technology in the company’s high-End range of television sets. These have been extremely well received, even if one notable appearance by polarizing film director Michael Bay didn’t exactly go according to plan…
Since then Apple has applied for and had approved a patent for similar technology, which is very much a response to the recent Samsung mobile ranges. The Galaxy S6 Edge is a dual-curved device, which builds on the enthusiastic reception afforded to the Galaxy Note Edge phablet from 2014.
Meanwhile, proving that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, numerous television manufacturers have also produced curved screen devices, even if the technology remains most obviously associated with that Korean manufacturer.
Galaxy S7 foldable display technology
But it is already being mooted that the next flagship smartphone produced by Samsung may go well beyond the curved screen which we see in the Galaxy S6 Edge. Samsung is reportedly preparing to release folding displays for the Galaxy S7, when it is released in what many presume will be April, 2016.
Recent leaks about this forthcoming smartphone have been emanating from Korea in recent weeks, and Business Korea has evidently had its nose close to the ground on this issue. The publication recently quoted an unnamed source close to Samsung, which suggested that the commercial release of affordable smartphones with this capability will be feasible by this time next year.
This will very much be viewed as a killer feature, and it is certainly a unique one at the time of writing. The key takeaway from this is that the Galaxy S7 will apparently fold within its screen, rather than the current existing clam-shaped folding which we see in mass-market smartphones.
Galaxy S7 display emphasis
As stated previously, Samsung has very much placed an emphasis on display technology in its recent releases. Not only has the Super AMOLED displays which it places at the center of its Galaxy ranges been lauded by consumers and critics alike, but the physical appearance of Samsung handsets has also improved significantly.
And Samsung has always placed a similar stock in showing off displays at the various tradeshows which it has appeared at over the years. Indeed, as early as 2008, the Korean consumer electronics giant was demonstrating flexible displays at such events all over the world. Until now it was considered that this technology was very much limited to prototypes, with the general consensus that producing smartphones on a mass scale with foldable screens of this nature would simply prove commercially disadvantageous.
But once the technology exists for a certain feature, as long as the public demand exists to purchase a device featuring it, one can always be certain that it will find its way to market. In this case, as smartphones continue to get ever slimmer, so the concept of a folding screen becomes more feasible. It is now possible to envisage a smartphone being folded easily in this manner, without adding a significant amount of inconvenience to storing the device in a pocket.
Multiple models
Although speculation is obviously at the very early stage with regard to this folding Galaxy S7, it seems likely that this would be an optional extra. The Galaxy S6 Edge is, of course, not an obligatory purchase, and Samsung is still expecting to shift a significantly higher amount of units of the standard Galaxy S6. To what extent the foldable Galaxy S7 would be a premium device is debatable, but it seems likely that by the time the Galaxy S7 is released that there are three distinct models of the flagship smartphone.
With a $100 gap expected between the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edges, this could necessitate a more diverse price structure for the Galaxy S7. It is possible to imagine that the standard Galaxy S7 could be $100 cheaper than the Galaxy S7 Edge, with the foldable version of the Galaxy S7 costing around $200 more than the most affordable model.
Custom chips
Aside from this interesting development, other news has also been emerging recently regarding the Galaxy S7. The first interesting morsel of information, which has also emanated from Korea, is the idea that Samsung is currently working on a custom chip which is expected to debut in the Galaxy S7.
This would be a logical move for Samsung, as the corporation has showed an inclination to move away from external suppliers of chips in recent months. The Galaxy S6 will be driven by Samsung’s own proprietary Exynos technology, signalling the first Galaxy S release which hasn’t benefited from a Qualcomm chipset.
We can also expect the Galaxy S7 to be a 4K device. With the Galaxy S6 being capable of quad HD resolution, it seems that Samsung will have little room for manoeuvre when the Galaxy S7 hits the market. By the time 2016 rolls around, it is probable that the 4K standard will be at least more mainstream that it is at the moment. And this should motivate Samsung to produce a 4K resolution smartphone at that time.
Samsung and Apple are set for a multi-fronted battle in 2015. With Samsung having recently announced Samsung Pay, and Apple having already released its own Apple Pay mobile payment system, this will be one of the key areas of conflict. Apple is hoping that the imminent release of the Apple Watch will gain a market advantage for the corporation, while Samsung is banking on a vastly improved Galaxy S6 to steal the iPhone’s thunder.
By 2016, it appears that Samsung will have another weapon in its armory, in the shape of the world’s first mass-market screen-foldable smartphone.
