Samsung Electronics has filed for patents on a new type of smartphone display that wraps around the edge of the device, as a senior executive from the tech giant claimed that three-quarters of its smart TV owners now use apps on their TVs.
Under US patent application number 20130300697, Samsung Electronics has filed for a patent for a new type of smartphone that has a screen that curves around the edge of the device.
“Recently, a portable [smartphone] having a bended display implemented by coupling a flexible display with the portable terminal as well as the flexible display has been spotlighted. The flexible display is a display which may be freely folded and unfolded,” the application states.
“The bended display is a display where a bent shape may be maintained in consideration of a design. More particularly, in recent years, the portable terminal having the bended display has been studied and developed.”
The patent application reveals that the edges are treated as “sub regions” of the screen and can be sued to display different information to the “main region”.
The application also notes that the device treats touch inputs differently depending on whether they occur on the edges of the screen on the front.
For example, the pictures suggest the device is locked or unlocked by sliding your finger down the right-hand edge of the device from top to bottom.
“The sub-region is divided into a plurality of quick regions for performing the quick command, and wherein the quick command is received through any one of the plurality of quick regions of the sub-region,” the application states.
The news appears to confirm speculation SmartCompany reported on late last week.
The technology in Samsung’s new device is an extension of technology found in the Galaxy Round, a smartphone with a curved screen the company has, at this point, only released in Korea.
While Apple is believed to be working on its own curved screen device, Samsung is keen to extend the lead it has developed with the technology.
Last month, SmartCompany reported Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Round, while fellow South Korean tech giant LG unveiled its own curved-screen device, known as the LG Flex. Apple is yet to release a curved screen device.
News of the new device came as Korea’s Electronic Times published comments by Samsung’s Video Display Business Division vice president, Kim Hyeon-seok, claiming 67% of its smart TV users now use apps on their TV, with the number in North America increasing by 45%
“Smart TV function’s connection rate and use rate are increasing year after year around the world.”
Kim also says the number people using Samsung’s smart hub portal over the past year, with the strong growth rate not limited to the Korean peninsula.
“The number of smart hub visitors has more than doubled this year. The increase rate grows every year.”
“Smart TV function’s connection rate and use rate are increasing year after year around the world. The number of smart hub visitors has more than doubled this year. The increase rate grows every year.”
“The smart TV is evolving by discovering contents fit for TV and improving the convenience of use through productive trials and errors. Considering that TV is the most familiar entertainment device, it will grow stably sooner or later.”
Andrew Sadauskas is a former journalist at SmartCompany and a former editor of TechCompany.
