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Samsung officially announces the curved screen Galaxy Round

by Mark Tyson on 9 October 2013, 10:00

Tags: Samsung (005935.KS), Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), PC

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Only yesterday we reported on LG’s recent announcements that it had started mass production of curved screens and curved batteries, with devices expected to ship within weeks. Little did we know that Samsung would be officially showing off its first smartphone with a curved display, the Samsung Galaxy Round, within hours.

Perhaps Samsung was prodded into action to some extent by the leaking of press shots of the Galaxy Round SM-G910S just 12 hours ago. Prolific connected device leaker @evleaks was responsible for that.

Let’s have a look at the specs of Samsung’s curvy new smartphone:

  • Screen: 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED
  • Processor: 2.3 GHz MSM 8974 quad-core
  • RAM: 3GB
  • Storage: 32GB plus microSD up to 64GB
  • Cameras: 13MP and 2MP
  • Physical dimensions: 7.9mm thick, 154g
  • Connectivity: includes LTE
  • Battery: 2,800mAh
  • Colours: only in ‘luxury brown’ for now, similar to Note 3 with back stitching effect
  • OS: Android 4.3

A new ‘roll effect’ can be used to check date and time, battery – even when the screen is off. Have a look at the video above for some peeping at the time action. Additionally if playing MP3s, for example, you can skip back and forth through your music library utilising ‘Bounce UX’ - rolling the phone forward and backward.

This new smartphone will be available in South Korea from tomorrow according to the Samsung YouTube channel. No word yet on other territories, prices and other colours.

Do readers prefer Samsung’s use of the curved screen or does the LG vertical concave display smartphone sound more appealing?



HEXUS Forums :: 10 Comments

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Do readers prefer Samsung’s use of the curved screen or does the LG vertical concave display smartphone sound more appealing?
This Samsung phone looks more trouser pocket friendly than having a banana-shaped device, but I don't think I'll be rushing out to replace my S3 with it, (screen's too large for me for a start).

I've also got to wonder whether this curved form-factor is going to cause issues with desk and car mounts.
Looks a bit odd and uncomfortable to me, specially if used landscape. Really don't think curved screens will catch on. So many aspects of mobiles seem to be better for flat devices as well.. Car mounts, flip cases, gaming, spirit-level apps.
Erm, might be the only one to ask it but whats the point? can't really see any advantage to having a curved screen over a flat one.
Pentile (bring back proper tristimulus SAMOLED!), plus Samsung's current region-locking shenanigans? Easy decision: no sale.
So it's some motion gimmicks and butt-friendly shape (for those still risking sitting on their phone). I guess it develops the technology to a point where it can be used on other curved surfaces more usefully.

Not that I can think of any useful curved surface uses right now.