LG has exited the smartphone market, but it is still one of the main suppliers of components, particularly screens, for mobiles. Furthermore, it continues to explore new technologies for tomorrow’s devices. And among the innovations the company is working on are… stretchable screens. In essence, it is a flexible screen that can be twisted but which can also be stretched to increase its surface area.
In 2022, LG managed to develop a screen that, when stretched, has an enlarged surface area of 20%. And recently the company presented a new prototype which, this time, is capable of increasing its surface area by 50% when stretched. More precisely, it is a 12-inch screen that can be stretched to have an 18-inch format. Furthermore, in terms of durability, LG claims that this screen is capable of withstanding 10,000 stretches.
Technology for what?
At the moment it is only a prototype. But the characteristics of this stretchable screen could allow it to be used to create entirely new product categories in the future. According to LG, stretchable displays are thin and lightweight and can adhere to curved or irregular surfaces. For example, this type of screen can be fitted to clothing or even attached to the skin.
However, it is unlikely that this technology will make it to commercial products in the near future. Foldable screens took a while to land on smartphones and PCs. And currently, there are no smartphones using rollable screens yet, even though this technology has been around for years.
But in any case, it is interesting to discover the latest innovations in screens, and to imagine how these innovations could lead to the creation of new types of devices in the future.
- LG no longer makes smartphones, but it continues to provide screens
- And this one has been developing a stretchable screen for a while
- Its latest prototype is a screen whose surface area increases by 50% when stretched
- According to LG, this screen is thin and light, and can adhere to curved or irregular surfaces
- Later, this technology could enable the creation of new categories of electronic devices
