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Tag Archive for: bendable glass

Could “bendable” glass lead to a folding glass phone?

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Could "bendable" glass lead to a folding glass phone?

Could “bendable” glass lead to a folding glass phone?

The goal of making smart phones lighter and more flexible could be one step closer to reality, thanks to bendable glass. Samsung first introduced bendable glass at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2013. So far, that hasn’t led to foldable glass phones, but some industry experts think that the company could put a foldable glass phone on the market in 2017.

Samsung isn’t the only technology company that’s interested in foldable glass. Apple has long been rumored to be considering the development of a bendable glass phone. The company is already working on an all-glass version of the iPhone.

The goal is to create a foldable device that’s the size of a phone when folded, and the size of a tablet when it is opened up. Such a phone would use OLED technology, and would more than likely feature a curved screen.

Samsung has already introduced a curved glass phone to the market, in the form of the company’s Galaxy S7 Edge, but the company says that its consumer research shows that the end user values the size of a standard phone, but welcomes the extra real estate the phone offers.

The allure of glass has also charmed Apple, which is working on the all-glass iPhone. The company is expected to release the iPhone 8 in late 2017 or early 2018, but there’s no indication that the iPhone 8 will be foldable, or that it will include bendable glass of any kind.

Bendable glass isn’t exactly new. Fiber optic cabling is bendable to some extent, though it’s certainly not foldable. Bendable glass allows designers to create a screen, something that’s never been done before, and it may allow them to create a complete foldable design that provides the form of a standard smart phone that’s expandable to a functional tablet when desired.

Certainly, there are smartphones of varying sizes, but the size of a phone (or a tablet) determines its functionality. If a tablet surface is too small to type, for example, its functionality – and therefore its appeal – is limited. Nothing is announced as far as products or even projects, but it’s worthwhile to note that Samsung has already shown bendable glass. It makes sense that consumers will be seeing that on the market sooner rather than later.

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Photo Credit: MomentiMedia, via Flickr.com

Bendable Gorilla Glass? Come on!

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Bendable Gorilla Glass? Come on!

Bendable Gorilla Glass? Come on!

Recently, we’ve profiled Gorilla Glass and Vibrant Gorilla Glass. Corning, the manufacturer of Gorilla Glass – which virtually owns the mobile device market – says it may be able to deliver “bendable” Gorilla Glass to the market within 2-3 years.

Flexible glass displays already possible

The company is not willing to commit to a deliver schedule, but says that it’s working on creating reliable flexible glass displays, largely for wearable mobile devices. According to the company, flexible glass isn’t the major issue; the company can already make glass that’s thin enough to flex. To make a highly flexible mobile device work, flexible electronics and flexible batteries must also be part of the package.

Last month, China-based Chongqing Graphene Tech Co., known informally as the Moxi Group (pronounced mou-shee), says it’s getting ready to introduce a flexible touchscreen phone to the marketplace. That device uses a graphene display, rather than one made of flexible glass. The company says its first market product will have a black-and-white display, but it plans to introduce a full-color display by 2018. The expected price for the first product, which will hit the domestic market in the fourth quarter, will be about $750.

According to the Moxi Group, full color displays are more challenging, in part because of their increased power requirements. Color displays require more power. In a mobile device, that translates to improved battery performance. Either a flexible battery or a smaller, more powerful battery would need to be developed to provide acceptable performance for a highly flexible color display.

Samsung and LG both have “flexible” phones, but neither of those devices can be flexed as much as the device to be marketed by Moxi. Moxi Group’s device, which is a candy-bar style phone can be looped into a closed ring. Samsung says it will bring a highly flexible phone to the market in 2017. According to the company, that product is flexible enough to be rolled up and stored in a pocket.

Flexible batteries may be available in the near future. Cooperative research teams in the US, South Korea and China say they’ve developed a highly flexible solar battery for use in wearable electronic devices. The battery, which does not need to be charged, incorporates solar cells into a flexible silicone shell with a flexible copper matrix. The silicone shell makes the battery waterproof, and developers say it can be flexed into virtually any shape.

There’s no timetable on the availability of flexible glass, but if you need inspiration for decorating with non-flexible glass, please check out the rest of the Glassprimer™ glass paint site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .
Photo Credit: Moxi Group