Samsung Galaxy S5 "unlikely" to have a curved display, new report says

As 2013 draws to an end, we’re getting closer and closer to the moment when Samsung will release its new Galaxy S5 flagship smartphone. This year’s Galaxy S4 was introduced in April and, who knows, perhaps the S5 will be announced even earlier than that.

But until Samsung will officially showcase the S5, here’s what the latest rumor has to say about it. Following a report which pretty much ruled out a metallic construction for the new high-end Galaxy, a new report is now shattering the dreams of those who may have wanted the device to sport a curved display.

The Korea Herald has it that, according to a Seoul-based analyst, Samsung is, at the moment, simply not able to produce enough flexible display panels. It can only make up to 500,000 units per month, and that’s certainly not sufficient for a handset that’s expected to sell like hotcakes once it hits the market. Production may go up to 1 million units per month towards the end of 2014, this leading said analyst to think that a special Galaxy variant with flexible, curved screen will be released at about that time.

The Galaxy Round - Samsung's first (and only, for now) smartphone with a curved display - may reach only 50,000 units sold in South Korea. And since it won’t be officially released in any other market (unofficial imports don’t count), it’s unlikely that overall sales will be significantly higher.

LG is not in a better position, either. Reportedly, LG Display is currently capable of manufacturing only 12,000 flexible display units per month. It’s not clear if this means that the G Flex - LG’s own curved smartphone - is (or will be) in limited supply.

Sure enough, any of the details presented above can change, or may not be as presented in the first place. Still, we’re inclined to think that the Samsung Galaxy S5 will not have a curved display - despite the enthusiasm of a few Korean scientists who believe that flexible screens can hit the mainstream as soon as next year.

source: The Korea Herald