South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc unveiled a curved smartphone on Monday in a move to catch up bigger rival Samsung Electronics Co.<\/p>\n
Curved displays and flexible screens are the new battleground for phone makers as the screens open up possibilities that could eventually transform the high-end smartphone market.<\/p>\n
Curved smartphones provide a more comfortable grip than flat-screen models, but the lack of must-have features means they are unlikely to be big consumer hits anytime soon, analysts have said. Manufacturing costs also remain relatively high.<\/p>\n
Both Samsung and LG’s curved phones are only available in the South Korean market as they seek to gauge consumer appetite.<\/p>\n
Samsung launched a variant of the popular Galaxy Note earlier this month as the world’s first smartphone with a display slightly curved side to side.<\/p>\n
The model launched on Monday by LG Electronics has a vertically curved six-inch display. The company said the phone will be available from next month through South Korea’s three mobile carriers.<\/p>\n
Its vertically curved display offers more immersive video watching experience and the phone uses a curved battery to support its form factor, LG said.<\/p>\n
Changing form factors of the battery as well as phone’s chip board and other components remain a challenge in achieving flexible devices.<\/p>\n
LG is among a slew of smaller companies struggling to compete against Samsung and Apple Inc, the smartphone leaders that account for almost all the industry’s profits.<\/p>\n
LG reported last week an 80 billion won ($75 million) operating loss from its handset division for the third-quarter due to marketing costs surrounding a smartphone launch in August.<\/p>\n
The company plans to increase marketing investment in the current quarter to raise brand awareness in the high-end market, which it hopes will help expand sales later in the mid to lower-end segments.<\/p>\n
Technology analysts and media reports say Apple is also working on a smartwatch, potentially with a curved screen, but there has been no word from the Cupertino California-based company about its plans.<\/p>\n
($1 = 1,061.90 Korean won)<\/p>\n
Samsung launches \u201cworld first\u201d curved screen smartphone<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Samsung not worried about emerging market issues<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n