LAS VEGAS: This year at CES 2015, LG is all about the curve. In addition to LG Electronics launching the arched G Flex 2 and plenty of curved TVs, its sister company, LG Display, showed off a smartphone with a display that bends downward along its sides.
We’ve seen something similar to this before with the Galaxy Note Edge, except Samsung’s handset only curved on one side. In an attempt to go one better, LG Display’s concept device curves on both its left and right edges.
With only a 720p resolution, the 6-inch HD plastic OLED display isn’t the sharpest around. But its curved edges serve as narrow secondary screens that users can swipe and tap through. For example, you can view missed notifications and have quick access to commonly used apps.
Judging by the interest that surrounded the Note Edge, a consumer demand for LG’s dual-curved handset doesn’t seem as unlikely as it would have been a few months ago.
But the LG model would need to address the biggest weakness of the Note Edge: justifying its eye-catching form with a useful function for those rounded edges. And that means getting app developers on board — a tall order if this would be a one-off model.
While the phone was an unnamed conceptual prototype, LG Display said that it’s ready for mass production. So don’t be surprised if we see a consumer-ready version of the phone teed up for launch in 2015, perhaps as early as Mobile World Congress in March.
