Samsung appears to be working on a rollable phone that could hit the market later this year.
The leaked concept device has led many to wonder if its adaptable shape could replace the company’s now-defunct Galaxy Note lineup and as an alternative form factor to the current Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3.
That’s all we know so far about what we could call the Galaxy Z Roll.
When will the Galaxy Z Fold Scroll (or Galaxy Z Roll) launch?
ice universe described the Z Scroll/Z Roll as a “lab test product”, but also expected its release to come in late 2021 to compete with similar products from Oppo and Xiaomi. Logically, this was not the case.
However, in a report of GalaxyClub dated March 2022, the codenames of the successors (planned for summer 2022) of the current Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 (“B4” and “Q4”) are referenced, as well as an unknown device, “N4” , which could be the rumored roll.
How much will the Galaxy Z Fold Scroll (or Z Roll) cost?
While it’s too early for a device like the Scroll/Z Roll to reveal its price, given that it’ll be another member of Samsung’s Galaxy Z lineup, it’s likely to be quite expensive. .
The most affordable model in the range, the Z Flip 3, costs $999, while the most expensive, the Z Fold 3, costs $1,599 in Europe.
Since the Scroll/Z Roll is said to have first-generation technology, it’s possible it could cost as much or more than the Z Fold 3, especially since the sources of GalaxyClub they suggest the N4 would be sold in limited quantities.
What features will the Galaxy Z Fold Scroll (or Galaxy Z Roll) have?
The first time we saw what could be Samsung’s first rollable mobile was in a November 2020 video shared by Ice Universe in which Samsung Electronics Vice President Jay Y. Lee was seen holding a smartphone money unknown.
Soon after, Oppo used its annual Inno Day event to show off its own concept rollable phone called the Oppo X 2021, which bore a strong resemblance to the unknown Samsung device.
the #OPPOX2021 rollable OLED display:
⚙️ Exclusive roller motor powertrain
🛡️ 2 in 1 plate
✨ Warp Track High Strength Laminated Screen#OPPOINNODAY20 pic.twitter.com/VXvPgMKuB1-OPPO (@oppo)
November 17, 2020
The same day, ice universe He first mentioned the “Galaxy Z Fold Scroll,” a clear reference to the phone’s rollable screen, which is supposed to expand and contract in and out of the phone’s body, much like Oppo’s concept.
However, on May 18, 2021, LetsGoDigital found that EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office) had granted Samsung Electronics a Class 9 trademark to use the “Z Roll” name.
The classification of goods to which the mark refers is broad, but includes electronic devices, such as mobile phones.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of a stretchy phone from Samsung (as first reported by the Korean site ETNews), as a retractable concept device was apparently shown off to a select few at CES 2020.
Before that, at the end of 2018, Samsung had already filed a design patent (pictured) with the KIPO (Korean Intellectual Property Office), which was approved in May the following year and made public on June 24, 2019 (another times, according to LetsGoDigital).
While it’s clear that Samsung has indeed had a device like the Scroll/Z Roll on its roadmap for some time, little is currently known about what this phone will offer other than its expanded display feature. .
That said, the physical concept, spotted by Ice Universe, appears to measure around the same size as the current Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
Following on from the original KIPO list, LetsGoDigital also discovered that in March 2020, Samsung filed a patent application for a “dual-slider electronic device”, the documentation for which was published by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) in January 2021.
This most recent patent details a device with a system of chain links and gears, as well as a flexible screen and a flexible back that allow the device to expand in width.
Based on the WIPO list, Jermaine Smit (also known as Concept Creator) created mockups for LetsGoDigital demonstrating what this device could look like, with a design aesthetic seemingly taken from the Samsung Galaxy S21 range.
Additional details include an increase in screen size of around 30% which, with reports that it will have a 6-inch screen (when folded), could be 8-inch when expanded .
According to The electIn an article published on January 28, 2021, during Samsung Electronics’ Q4 Q4 conference call, Samsung Display Senior Vice President Kwonyoung Choi confirmed that the company is developing new rollable and sliding displays that will go on sale at the end of the year.
Although Kwonyoung didn’t specify the use cases for such screens at the time or whether Samsung Mobile intended to employ them in future devices, his remarks gave all the rumors a bit more legitimacy. circulating on the Galaxy Z Fold.Scroll/Z Roll.
Before moving on to the company’s widescreen products (i.e. Quantum panels for TVs), he also mentioned plans for new small-to-medium sized foldable displays. Assuming “small” refers to smartphones, could “medium” mean some sort of foldable Galaxy Tab?
In May last year, as part of the Display Week 2021 exhibition, Sam-Mobile found that Samsung Display had several concepts to discuss: a bipartite OLED for mobile, a panel with a processor (under-panel camera) in a laptop, a drop-down concept device, and more.
Shortly after, Samsung Display uploaded a promotional video (above), showcasing all of the key concepts it was showcasing during Display Week 2021, including the extender device that will likely end up being the Z Fold Scroll/Z Roll.
