Is Samsung Releasing A Rollable Phone In 2022?

A recent report revealed that Samsung might be planning a new foldable smartphone, one whose screen doesn’t fold but slides out (unrolls). While the company has shown a prototype of a phone with a rollable display, what are the chances it will launch one in 2022? Samsung’s Galaxy line of foldable series has been growing in popularity since it made its debut in 2019 with the Galaxy Fold. The line, now officially called the Galaxy Z series, includes two main types of foldables — the horizontally-folding Galaxy Z Fold and the clamshell-style Galaxy Z Flip.

There have been repeated claims that the smartphone market has stagnated for years, but those cries have quieted since foldable smartphones hit the market. With brands such as Samsung, Huawei, Motorola, OPPO and Xiaomi pushing the new form factor, there is a lot to be excited about. More manufacturers are expected to join, with some planning their debut for this year and others in a few years.

There have been several reports about Samsung’s plan to release a rollable smartphone, but a commercially-available product is yet to hit the market. Apart from showing off rollable and slidable display panels via its display subsidiary, in 2021, it filed a trademark application for the name “Samsung Z Rol.” However, based on new information, it doesn’t seem like Samsung will launch one this year, as exciting as a rollable smartphone might be. Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) disclosed in a tweet that the unknown device thought to be a third foldable smartphone is the Galaxy S23 which is internally referred to as Project Diamond.

Not In 2022, Maybe Later

Alongside Samsung, other brands such as TCL and OPPO have all demoed concept phones with slidable and rollable displays, but neither has launched a finished product. The technology behind foldables is still in its infancy, which explains why there are very few players in the segment, although there have been significant improvements with every new iteration. Finally, throw in rollable or slidable phones, which have the advantage of not suffering from creases like their foldable counterparts but have the additional complexity of a durable motor that can handle the repeated movement of the display panel.

That is not to say there isn’t a rollable smartphone in Samsung’s future. There is just no concrete proof that there is one planned for release in 2022. But, of course, Samsung’s already winning with the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold lines, both of which are scheduled to get new models in the second half of 2022. So, its focus right now is to get more people to switch to these devices.

Source: Ross Young|Twitter