A new patent application from LG for a phone with a roll-out screen puts a new twist on foldable phones and could end up surpassing foldable models if it actually happens.
LG's rollable phone becomes a reality!
If the word "slide" conjures up memories of that old Nokia phone that folds out to reveal a keyboard, think again: LG's new phone could feature a flexible OLED display that actually expands and contracts as you slide the bezels on either side in and out. In addition to offering a unique way to fold or retract a display at any time, the design has the potential to avoid some of the documented durability issues with foldable displays.
"Using a retractable screen is extra durable, compared to all foldable models that are currently available," writes Amsterdam tech website LetsGoDigital in its report on the design. "Because these devices always bend at one specific point, the screen is most vulnerable at the fold line."
The design is currently being dubbed “Project B,” but it could also be called LG Rollable or LG Slide. It appears that users would be able to seamlessly switch between using the device as a phone, tablet, and apparently something in between if just one side of the frame is pulled out. The different sizes appear in renders created by LetsGoDigital, which first spotted the patent application filed by the World Intellectual Property Organization. The phone maker also filed a U.S. patent application for the technology, which was published in September.
