Samsung Display (SDC) is reportedly collaborating with Lenovo to develop slidable display devices, suggesting that devices capable of extending the screen by pulling it are about to be commercialized.
A slidable display is akin to a scroll in design, where the display is rolled up on one side and can be pulled out to enlarge the screen when necessary. According to industry sources cited by South Korean media outlet ET News, SDC has decided to commercialize slidable displays and is gearing up to mass-produce the required panels. The final products are slated to be launched through Lenovo in late 2024 or early 2025.
Based on the prototype of the slidable display previously showcased by SDC, the display measures 13 inches when not extended and can reach 17 inches when fully extended. The final product might represent a new type of device that combines the functionalities of a tablet and a notebook. Reportedly, SDC and Lenovo plan to incorporate a stylus into this product.
Market observers noted that after Lenovo launched a foldable notebook in 2020, Asustek Computer followed suit in 2022, while LG Electronics and HP did not release their own foldable notebook models until 2023. The ongoing collaboration between SDC and Lenovo is expected to help them explore a new market segment.
The main reason behind the SDC-Lenovo deal is their shared interest in exploring new markets. After launching foldable displays, SDC is attempting to develop slidable displays as the next-generation product and has registered multiple trademarks for this purpose. In recent years, Lenovo has also introduced various innovative products, such as the industry's first foldable notebook in 2020 and the world's first OLED dual-screen notebook in 2023.
At Samsung Electronics' first-quarter 2024 earnings call, SDC Vice President Huh Cheol disclosed that the company is developing new types of products, such as out-folding, in-n-out folding, and slidable displays, and will collaborate with customers to launch these products at the right time.
While foldable phones have become a recent trend, the commercialization of slidable devices in the mobile sector—including smartphones, tablets, and notebooks—seems imminent if Lenovo and SDC's collaboration on slidable devices is successful.
