LAS VEGAS – Samsung showcased its innovative Flex In & Out Flip concept phone at CES 2024, providing a glimpse of where foldable devices are heading. The device, unlike current flip phones such as the Galaxy Z Flip 5, folds completely backwards, allowing users to utilize the 6.7-inch screen even when the phone is closed.
The Flex In & Out Flip, a standout concept from Samsung’s Display team, demonstrates the company’s ongoing efforts to create devices that can roll, flex, bend, and fold to fit more seamlessly into our lives. At the Samsung Display booth, numerous foldable concepts in various shapes and sizes were on display.
The concept phone features a notable design element: when bent backward, one side of the device becomes shorter to avoid obstructing the camera. The larger side of the phone’s screen displays several icons in the quick settings menu, media playback controls, and the time and battery level. Although the phone was running a demo video rather than actual software, it provided a glimpse of how the user interface could adapt to the phone’s movements.
Samsung’s Flex In & Out Flip concept, however, is currently only a concept and it remains uncertain if the technology will ever be implemented in a real product. Nevertheless, the concept suggests that Samsung is exploring ways to enhance the versatility and utility of its flip phone line, which has been in existence for almost four years.
The concept of using the same screen both when the device is open and closed could offer a more consistent user experience. Unlike current flip phones with a separate external screen, which requires customization, this concept phone aims to provide a seamless transition between open and closed modes.
Samsung has put the concept phone’s durability to the test by subjecting it to extreme temperatures and even bouncing basketballs on its foldable panels. This intense testing is consistent with the company’s commitment to ensuring the reliability of its foldable devices.
In addition to the Flex In & Out Flip, Samsung showcased other flexible and foldable display concepts at CES. These concepts included the Flex Liple, a flip phone prototype with a display that curves around the top edge, and the Rollable Flex, which can expand its screen up to five times in size. Samsung also introduced high-resolution displays for mixed reality headsets.
Overall, the Flex In & Out Flip concept phone represents another step in the direction of having a phone with a secondary screen that can fit in the palm of your hand. While it is currently just a concept, Samsung’s exploration of new form factors and functionalities suggests the company’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of smartphone design and innovation.
For more information on the concept phone and other cutting-edge tech at CES 2024, please visit the official CES 2024 website.
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