Panasonic Viera TC-L47E50 47' 120Hz 1080p LCD HDTVThe curved phone rumor mill has been heating up for the past couple of weeks, and now we know why. Samsung has just unveiled the Galaxy Round, a 5.7-inch behemoth with a gently-curving OLED display.
Spec-wise, it's very similar to the Galaxy Note 3. It runs a 2.3GHz quad-core processor, has 3GB of RAM, a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera, and uses Android 4.3. Looking straight down at the screen, you'd probably be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two phones.
The big difference is the curved display on the Galaxy Round, obviously. The angle of the arc is just enough that it should slide more easily into your front pants pocket, hug your leg more closely, and feel a bit more natural to hold in your hand than a near-6-inch flat slab of phone would.
It may also give you a bit of added privacy. With the ultra-wide viewing angles today's smartphones offer, the Samsung Galaxy Round's curved display could be just enough to keep sideways glances from skimming any important details about what you're doing on your phone.
Its curvature is possible because the display panel on the Galaxy Round is made not with glass but a durable plastic polymer. And it doesn't just make a gradual bend possible - it also sheds some weight. The Galaxy Round weighs in at just 154 grams, which is 14 grams lighter than the Galaxy Note 3.
Samsung also tweaked the software on the Galaxy Round to take advantage of its curve. When it's laying on a flat surface you'll be able to press down on one edge to rock the display up slightly. That motion is picked up by internal sensors which activate the display and show you any lockscreen notifications that are waiting for you. When the phone rocks back down, the screen powers off.
While Samsung doesn't mention it, the Galaxy Round likely also features a curved battery. They do note its capacity: 2800mAh. That falls 400mAh short of the Galaxy Note 2, but perhaps the curved display is slightly more energy efficient, too.
As for that large opening at the bottom? Perhaps a USB 3.0 connector? If it is, the Galaxy Round should be able to recharge in a fraction of the time it takes a phone with a trusty old USB 2.0 port.
Excited about the possibility of getting your hands on the first mass-produced curved-screen smartphone? Pause for a second. The Galaxy Round will only be available in Korea for now, and it's going to sell for around $1,000.
Still interested?
Now read: Samsung Galaxy Note 3′s five coolest new features
There is no comment yet for "Samsung Galaxy Round gets real with a 5.7"
Post a Comment