The curved Samsung Galaxy Round

[Ravynmagi]

http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/08/samsungs-curved-smartphone/

This is supposedly Samsung's curved phone. No cool Galaxy name given, though there is a boring model number mentioned. And it sounds like it may be a Korea only device.

At first I thought it looked pretty silly and like Samsung made a curved displays just because they could.

But look at the front and back... it looks like there may be some practical reasons for it too. That curved back looks like it would fit nicely in the hand. And the curved front should allow you to set the phone face down without scratching the glass.

This doesn't excite me at all. But I don't think it's terrible either.

 

[thedosbox]

But look at the front and back... it looks like there may be some practical reasons for it too. That curved back looks like it would fit nicely in the hand. And the curved front should allow you to set the phone face down without scratching the glass.

So, copy the curved back from the Moto X and add the ability to scoop up Salsa?

TAKE MY MONEY SAMSUNG!!

More seriously, if they wanted to raise the screen off a surface when face down they could simply add a lip at the top and bottom - just like the Moto X.

 

[Crono]

My thoughts remain the same as in the previous thread. Sure, the design might allow for a larger display for the same width or narrower than other phones, but there's something inherently off about a curved display on a mobile device. Not just in the look of the display but I'm also not sure how well touch gestures across a curved screen would work, though it is a relatively gentle curve.

For very large screens curved displays make sense (like the OLED television unit Samsung has come out with already, or large format movie theater screens, or triple monitor/panoramic widescreen gaming), but in a phone it seems like a novelty just as 3D was for a while. Until we get scrolls or holographic projection displays, flat is just more practical and better suited for mobile.

Curved backed phones make sense for ergonomics - the Moto X and HTC One certainly feel good in the hand - but curved screens is wasted in the mobile form factor. The slight advantages are real and might sway some potential buyers, but I prefer what we've had thus far until we get fully flexible and rollable displays. When that happens phone design will change dramatically, since you won't have the standard display, SoC/PCB, battery stack, you would have to put the battery on a side or bottom of the device.

 

[Shlong]

If it further protects the screen from damage, improves viewing angles, and ergonomics, then why not? TV's and monitors have been released with curves and now you're going to see it in tablets & phones. Since this is the first generation, I'll probably skip it but I want to see what else they can do with this.

 

[WelshBloke]

Lol

That was totally not the direction I was expecting it to curve in.

 

[bearxor]

Meh.

Call me when I can get a clamshell that opens up to a 6" display and also has a 3" display on the device thats accessible while closed.

Yep, a 3" 800x480 screen on the outside with a 1920x1080 6" screen while unfolded. I think a lot of us could get on board that train.

 

[thedosbox]

If it further protects the screen from damage, improves viewing angles, and ergonomics, then why not? TV's and monitors have been released with curves

That was due to a limitation of the technology, not because curves were a good idea. One of the selling points for Sony's Trinitron (aka shadow mask) was that it curved less than a "standard" CRT.

 

[luv2liv]

If it further protects the screen from damage, improves viewing angles, and ergonomics, then why not? TV's and monitors have been released with curves and now you're going to see it in tablets & phones. Since this is the first generation, I'll probably skip it but I want to see what else they can do with this.

the curve to protect the screen makes more sense with the galaxy nexus as here here http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-nexus-32gb/4505-6452_7-35099738.html
the phone curved like our faces so it is more comfortable. the new curve with this samsung doesnt make any sense, at least to me.

 

[Crono]

That was due to a limitation of the technology, not because curves were a good idea. One of the selling points for Sony's Trinitron (aka shadow mask) was that it curved less than a "standard" CRT.

Faux leather with fake stitching and curved screens. Samsung's smartphone designers must really want to take us back to the 80s or 90s.

 

[zerocool84]

Samsung announces the Galaxy Round, a smartphone with a curved OLED display

http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/8/4818572/samsung-galaxy-round-curved-oled-smartphone-official

 

[Ravynmagi]

It's interesting looking.

I don't like the name though.

 

[WelshBloke]

It's interesting looking.

I don't like the name though.

Price tag looks worse!

 

[thedosbox]

LOL @ the roll effect video, and comments on the verge article about how cool a feature it is. The Moto X/Droid does the same thing when you move the phone - and without sucking battery power by lighting up the whole screen.

 

[lopri]

It does not look bad and should fit better in pants (human thighs are trunks), but I am curious how small text looks on that screen both in landscape and in portrait modes.

 

[Ravynmagi]

Price tag looks worse!

That's the Korean price though.

 

[lopri]

Does that thing also support removable battery and micro SD card? Out of curiosity.

 

[kaerflog]

It has a cool factor but in reality how much does it help ?
So the screen might be less likely to shatter. What else ?

 

[EvilYoda]

As trivial as it is, the curve would help a phone sit better in my pocket.

 

[zerogear]

Galaxy Curve would sound better.

 

[bonkers325]

Galaxy Curve would sound better.

I think RIM owns some sort of trademark on the name "Curve".

 

[WelshBloke]

...
So the screen might be less likely to shatter. What else ?

I think that the screen will be more likely to break at least the glass covering it will.

Actually it would be interesting to see how the whole led/digitiser/glass bit is constructed before making too many guesses about durability.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

this is the stupidest idea ever. samsung is getting pretty desperate for excuses to come out with more phones. for some reason this phone made international news (bbc, cbs etc...). it looks like an s4 that someone left on their dashboard and it melted/warped. if i saw someone wif dat id say "you betta orda a new skreen offa ebae"

 

[Mopetar]

Honestly I think it looks a lot better than the S4, but maybe that's just me.

As to the reason for the curved surface, it does make a larger device easier to hold. I'm not sure how much I buy into the argument that it protects the screen. Most devices are getting screens that are hard enough to resist scratching from most things, and a simple case will offer similar amounts of protection to a curved device. My biggest concern is how much curving the glass affects its ability to withstand breaking when it's dropped. For all I know it could make it stronger, or it's not an issue, but it's still something I'd want to know before getting such a device.

 

[BladeVenom]

I think it would look good, until you turn it to landscape mode. I guess they need to make another one that curves that way.

 

[Joe1987]

If they would make something smaller, and curve it the other way, they would make a killer smart watch with this tech.