Google’s own-brand smartphone strategy to take on biggies, including Samsung and Apple, has paid off big time. It has now been over six months since the release of the first Pixel smartphone and we’re now hearing chatter about the next iteration of the device. A fresh report suggests Google is also planning to finally follow the trend and incorporate curved screens into the next Pixel smartphone.
According to South Korean publication Electronic Times, the Mountain View-based tech giant has offered to invest close to 1 trillion won ($880 million) into LG Display. This investment is squarely aimed at securing a timely and continuous supply of flexible OLED screens to embed in its next smartphone. The capital infusion will enable LG Display to further ramp up production, while reducing its huge capex burden, to meet Google’s demands in the coming months.
The proposed capital infusion would enable LG Display to further ramp up production, while reducing its huge capex burden, to meet Google’s demands in the coming months. Nothing in set in stone as of yet, the report states that the Korean giant is currently mulling over the offer. It also adds that the said investment is enough for LG to set up a dedicated line for the production of flexible screens. It is, however, been added that the investment amount could further increase during the ongoing partnership talks.
For those wondering, it is the same subsidiary of the Korean giant responsible for building the stunning Full Vision display with the odd 18:9 aspect ratio on the LG G6. But, this aspect ratio has enabled LG to seamlessly display multiple apps in a new square form on the new 5.7-inch screen. It has also improved upon multitasking and incorporated features into its apps to make full use of the same.
Currently, LG Display is known to produce small and medium-sized flexible OLED displays for the Apple Watch and their own smart watch lineup. It is currently no producing smartphone-sized flexible displays but a production line for building the same is presently under construction. It is expected to start producing displays by the second half of this year and Google is now eyeing the complete production from the same.
As for Google’s decision to opt for the inclusion of curved displays into their next-generation Pixel smartphone (or Pixel 2) isn’t that much surprising. This move from the tech giant makes perfect sense, especially at a time, when Samsung has made curved display a norm its smartphones. With the recent unveiling of its flagship devices — Galaxy S8/S8+, the company embedded curved displays in both of its smartphone models except just the larger one. Previously, Samsung was only including screens curved on the edges in its smartphones with the Edge moniker, starting with the Galaxy Edge 6.
But, that’s not all. The fiercest market leader, Apple is also said to be incorporating a curved display into its upcoming flagship iPhone. The Cupertino giant is giving its iPhone a complete makeover for the tenth anniversary of the flagship device this year. The rumor mill has been buzzing with rumors and speculations, with the latest of them being a massive order of 70 million curved OLED screen units from Samsung Electronics. It has also tapped other manufacturers to fulfill its demand for the said display.
If you’re also thinking the same thing as me then 2017 will usher the era of bendable or flexible displays — implemented in one way or another. While Samsung is leading this front, Apple and Google are now also eyeing a sizeable chunk of this segment of the market. It has also been seen that other smartphone makers such as HTC are also planning to integrate pressure-sensitive edge sensors into the screen itself. IDTechEx forecasts the market for all types of OLED screens to reach about $16 billion this year, $18 billion in 2020 and will grow to $57 billion in 2026.
