LG rollable smartphone revealed at CES
South Korean multinational electronics company LG has rolled out its latest smartphone during its press conference at the virtual Consumer Electronics Show 2021, and it earned the company quite the buzz during the event.
LG showcased a couple of video clips of the “Rollable” smartphone, which will reportedly have all the features of your standard smartphone, with one major upgrade: the phone’s display can be extended—or, as its name suggests, rolled out—to showcase a larger screen. It’s enough to almost convert the smartphone into a tablet.
A lot of tech companies have released their own versions of foldable smartphones, but LG is the first to launch a smartphone with an expandable display. Now, during the event, many assumed that the smartphone was just a concept by LG—while they did show videos of the device during their press conference, their executives did not mention it in their speeches.
According to the company, they will release the Rollable smartphone to the public later this year. Tech enthusiasts across the globe are fascinated by this innovative device because it highlights how smartphones have evolved over the years. It won’t be surprising if other tech companies follow suit and release their own versions of the Rollable smartphone.
In fact, TCL also showed off a concept for a smartphone similar to the Rollable smartphone during the CES 2021, but there are no reports of production just yet.
LG made waves last year when it began distributing the LG Signature OLED R, model RX. The OLED screen boasts 65 inches of pure visual delight, and it could be tucked away in an aluminum base when not in use. The clincher? Much like the awaited Rollable smartphone, the LG Signature OLED R is equipped with a mechanism that could unroll the screen for viewing. It can also be partially rolled out to function as a dashboard. LG probably patterned the Rollable smartphone after the OLED screen as the smartphone looks like a miniature version of the screen.
However, while the Rollable smartphone generated a lot of buzz during the 2021 CES, there are reports that the company is thinking of leaving the smartphone business and focusing on something else. LG’s CEO, Kwon Bong-seok, is said to have sent a memo to the company’s employees saying that they were assessing their options for their smartphone division, including selling it off.
Kwon assured them, however, that the employees will be maintained no matter what LG decides to do. It will be interesting to see how LG will shift its direction when it comes to producing consumer tech should they decide to scrap their smartphone business.
The LG Rollable smartphone was not the only device unveiled during the 2021 CES, but it’s certainly one of the standouts. Other notable mentions include the Kyocera Duraforce Ultra 5G UW, which boasts maximum durability, and Samsung’s Galaxy S21 line, which is said to be the brand’s best smartphone design yet.
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