Samsung showcased a Slidable Flex prototype at the CES 2022 in January. In its compact form, the device is slightly larger than a regular smartphone. But on the press of a button, the device pulls out additional screen space on the right side, turning the device into a small-sized tablet. It grows as big as the company’s Fold-series foldable smartphones. The Slidable Flex Solo moniker fits this product. The Korean behemoth followed up with another slidable prototype at the Display Week 2022 in May. Called the Slidable Wide, this product extends on both sides. When fully rolled in, you have an 8.1-inch screen. But you can pull out additional screen space from either side or both to make it a wide screen measuring 12.4-inch diagonally. Since this device extends from both ends, Samsung may have settled on the Slidable Flex Duet moniker for it. Additionally, Samsung brought a vertically extending slidable prototype to the event. While most other solutions extend horizontally, this panel pulled up extra screen space vertically from the top. When fully extended, you get a tall screen that can enhance your experience while browsing the internet, scrolling through social media apps, or reading lengthy documents. In its compact form, the device is only as big as a regular smartphone, featuring a 6.7-inch panel.
New Samsung trademarks suggest slidable smartphones will be a reality soon
Of course, these trademark applications don’t reveal anything apart from the two monikers that Samsung is protecting. But this could be a sign of what’s coming next in the smartphone evolution. With competition in the foldable market rapidly growing, the Korean behemoth may be looking to pioneer slidable smartphones. Perhaps the company is ready to take the next step in the flexible display segment. Samsung has also showcased various other types of flexible display technologies in recent months. At Display Week 2022, the company introduced a multi-folding display called Flex G OLED. It can fold inwards at two different positions. The firm also unveiled a Flex S OLED dual-foldable panel that can fold inward as well as outward. Time will tell if these concepts will develop into real products anytime soon.
