New Delhi: Samsung Electronics, the world's best-selling smartphone maker, has launched a handset with a curved display screen. Intially, Samsung's new curved-screen phone will be available in South Korea at $1,000. The firm gave no indication of its plans for a global launch.
The new smartphone is called the Galaxy Round. It has a 5.7-inch, 1080p HD display; runs Android 4.3 (with Samsung's Touch Wiz interface) and has Samsung's big-phone staples such as multi-window (think split-screen) and one-handed operation modes, just like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 does.
The Galaxy Round is powered by a 2.3 GHz MSM 8974 quad-core processor, 32GB internal storage, 3GB RAM (second to the Note 3), and an up-to-64GB microSD card slot. The 2,800mAh battery should amount for a fair number of running hours.
As is the case with the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3, the Galaxy Round has a 13-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash , plus a 2-megapixel camera up front. The smartphone can also capture 1080p HD video capture, which is standard on higher-end Samsung smartphones.
Analysts say the step is a move by electronics giant towards having unbreakable gadgets and flexible devices – rather a big attempt to gauge consumer appetite for curved phones.
The launch comes just days after rival LG said it would begin production of curved-screen phones next year.
Samsung says the curved screen display would help consumers use some of the features on the phone, including those that enable users to check information such as date, time and missed calls when home screen is off, with more ease.
Similarly, it also makes it easy for users to change music tracks on their phone, even while its display is off.
The Galaxy Round's 5.7-inch (14.4-centimetre) display has a slight horizontal curve and weighs less than the Galaxy Note 3, allowing a more comfortable grip than other flat-screen models on the market, Samsung said in a statement.
Analysts also say that curved phones also offer a good opportunity for bendable designs that could eventually transform the high-end smartphone market, where growth has slowed amid competition from low-end producers.
The battery in the Galaxy Round is not curved, Samsung said.
According to research firm CCS Insight, worldwide smartphone sales will hit nearly one billion in 2013 - accounting for more than half the total of 1.7 billion mobile phones sold.
As as result, smartphone manufacturers have been keen to offer new products to win consumers.
