Samsung and LG are showing off the first curved smartphones

Samsung and LG are showing off the first curved smartphones – but is it really more than just a gimmick? 

In 2013, smartphone manufacturers have been promoting cameras that are attached to their devices, and the trend for next year is already plain to see; curved displays. Just in time for Christmas, Samsung introduced the GALAXY Round, the first smartphone with left and right edges curved upwards. According to the Korean manufacturer, this design provides certain ergonomic advantages and ensures that the phone sits more comfortably in the hand and near the ear. However, Samsung is claiming that the design offers other advantages as well: If the GALAXY Round is on a table, it can be tilted to the side to blend in status displays such as the clock and the status of the battery, and go through images in a gallery or music files. That being said, there are disadvantages to using  such a phone as well. The phone takes a second to react to tilt inputs, and typing with the phone placed on a flat surface will be difficult as well. The hardware of the GALAXY Round is similar to that of the S4, and it is being sold in a few countries already for about 700 euros (RM3,170). Not to be left out, LG also introduced their curved display device, the G Flex in November. Its six-inch OLED display is made of plastic, and it’s curved at the top and the bottom, not at the sides. LG’s device also features a battery that is curved. This made it possible to make the overall device thinner. The G Flex is also scheduled to be introduced in Asia – for practical reasons: Currently, LG can only produce around 300,000 curved OLED displays per month.