Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own.

Your next Samsung phone may have a rollable, transparent screen

Posted: 19 April 2022 2:30 pm

News

Samsungrollablephone_GettyImages_1800x1000

Here's what we know about Samsung's plans for a rollable phone with a partially-transparent display.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 was a very interesting entry into the smartphone wars, and we're excited to see how Apple returns serve with the iPhone 14. Once again, a patent submission has betrayed some exciting technological developments from a giant in the space.

Here's what we know about a potential Samsung rollable phone.

Samsung rollable phone

An application made by Samsung to the World Intellectual Property Organisation has outlined some intriguing plans. Images submitted as part of the application indicate not only a rollable screen, but a transparent section of the display.

Even these abstract sketches show just how convoluted this technology is, so you shouldn't get your hopes up for these phones to drop in the near future. Still, the potential of such a device is tantalising, to say the least. Samsung has been leading the way in the foldable space, and it's already teased the prospect of introducing rollable technology.

Rollable displays are an exciting prospect for a number of reasons. The ability to adjust screen size on the fly could have a plethora of applications. We have so many different uses for our mobile phones these days, it's not hard to imagine expanding your screen to watch a movie, before contracting it to send a text.

Check out the technology in action with this LG prototype:

Transparent display

The slightly more unexpected feature revealed by Samsung's application is the transparent display. A transparent screen might sound ridiculous at first – if you're looking at a screen, why would you be interested in what's behind it? But there's one emerging technology where a transparent display could be extremely useful: augmented reality.

Currently, augmented reality apps use a camera to display the environment around you while inserting elements, often with laggy, awkward results. With a transparent screen, all the app needs to do is display the digital objects, while simply allowing you to see the space around you through the screen. This will lead to more efficient, and more immersive results.

Of course, there are other uses for this technology as well. If you're using your phone while walking down the street, a transparent screen will help you remain mindful of your surroundings. And there are all kinds of innovative ways photography apps could make use of such a display.