Samsung's selling point for its fourth generation Galaxy S smartphone could be its unbreakable and possibly bendable screen, analysts predict.
The launch of the next-generation flagship Galaxy smartphone could be aimed for release by as early as April. Rumors so far hint the new smartphone will feature a 4.99-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 441ppi, meeting a trend also followed by several brands (Lenovo, LG, HTC,) which also plan to offer 5-inch Full HD (1080p) smartphones boasting record resolutions of 400ppi or higher. The new smartphone is also expected to be powered by a quad-core processor and have a 13-megapixel camera.
Two analysts made a step further claiming that the new Galaxy S IV or "Project J" - named after Samsung mobile division chief JK Shin - will feature an unbreakable plastic substrate on its OLED display.
Acccording to Reuters, UBS analyst Nicolas Gaudois said that Samsung will be accelerating the release of the Galaxy S IV in the first half of 2013. "We believe preparations for volume manufacturing of unbreakable plastic substrate displays continue," he said.
Both Newman, an analyst at Stanford Bernstein in Hong Kong, said that either the Galaxy S IV or S V will have unbreakable and even flexible and foldable displays by 2014.
Samsung is a frontrunner in developing unbreakable screens, as OLED panels can replace glass substrate with plastic material.
Samsung declined to comment.
In the meantime, Samsung faces off against Apple again on Thursday in a U.S. courtroom for a follow-up ruling on whether it copied some of its U.S. rival's patents and should pay the $1 billion awarded to Apple by jurors in an August verdict.
Samsung wants the verdict overturned, while Apple wants the damages to be increased and Samsung phones banned in the United States.
What U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh decides after Thursday's hearing will greatly shape the end result.
