Samsung says 'larger display' key to future smartphone

Kim Hark-sang, Samsung's head of its visual R&D team and mobile communications business / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co.'s upcoming foldable phone is just the beginning of its smartphone innovation as a larger display expands the possibilities of user experiences, its senior vice president said Wednesday.

Kim Hark-sang, Samsung's head of its visual R&D team and mobile communications business, said users will be able to do even more with their smartphones as mobile technologies like 5G and artificial intelligence rapidly mature, supporting the need for a bigger screen.

"Whether it's leveraging increased connectivity or harnessing next-generation mobile intelligence, a larger display will be key to accessing future smartphone experiences," Kim wrote in Samsung's online newsroom. "Instead of accepting the status quo, resolving the contradiction between screen size and portability and developing a new form factor became the central focus of our innovation efforts."

Kim said unveiling the Infinity Flex Display in November signaled the company's efforts to find new growth momentum in the weakening smartphone market.

"After the prototypes of the flexible display debuted at (the Consumer Electronics Show) in 2011, it took another seven years to perfect the technology and deliver a truly meaningful experience to users," Kim said. "From developing new materials to overcoming mechanical challenges, the foldable screen demanded a total reconfiguration of the smartphone from inside out."

Samsung has created a "natural and durable folding experience" that can withstand hundreds of thousands of folds, with new ways of placing the battery, cooling system and camera inside the slim body, Kim said.

The company also developed an intuitive user experience to ensure applications can transition seamlessly between the smaller and larger displays, he noted.

"The arrival of the Infinity Flex Display is just the beginning," Kim said. "We will continue pushing the limits of possibility and shape the future as it unfolds."

The South Korean tech giant said it will release its foldable phone this year. It is widely expected to unveil it during the Unpacked event for the Galaxy S10 slated for Feb. 20 in San Francisco. (Yonhap)