LG Rumor Double: Flex Displays & Phone in Q4; Smartphone with Always-On Voice in 2014

[dgstorm]

We have a couple of rumors for you guys from LG today. First, we are likely to see LG's first flexible displays and a phone including the technology later in the fourth quarter of this year. Here's a quote with some of the details,

LG Display expects to produce 12,000 sheets of flexible OLED every month, the company told The Korea Times, with the first device from LG itself to use the flexible screens also due later this year.

“We have completed the development of our first flexible displays” LG Display said in a statement. “We will mass produce flexible displays from the fourth quarter of this year.”

LG itself had already confirmed its flexible phone plans, saying back in April that it would have a model using bendable OLED on the market before the year is out. The company declined to give specifics on hardware, however, and it’s unclear what sort of resolution the AMOLED screen will run at. ~ SlashGear

Our second rumor is that LG is working on a phone which will include always-on voice commands which will be available sometime in 2014. Here's another quote with more info,

Our sources say that this would be beneficial in certain settings or environments, in particular inside automobiles. With hands-free laws gaining momentum, using voice command would allow users to more safely operate their smartphones for key functions without requiring them to touch the screen un-necessarily.

In one example, users can speak a voice command to tell Google Maps to pan around and switch views. Users can also tell Google Maps to zoom in or out. This is different from existing voice solutions, which are based mainly for searching, launching apps, and dictating. The navigation of the Android OS by voice will be a new user experience for some people.

This matches with what we’ve been hearing about the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, which will have always-on voice capabilities. Originally, we had thought that the feature would be limited to select voice commands, like Google Now, but it seems that LG is tapping into the hardware feature to make its phones more adaptive. ~ GottabeMobile

 

[gadgetrants]

The always-on voice function strikes me as very...interesting. Given the theory that "the Motorola X phone is so-so hardware and mind-blowing software," I can't help but think that Google is also planning to turn up voice control a few notches. In other words, I wonder if a corporate spy from LG was snooping on Googorola, and now LG is trying to beat them to the punch. Oh yeah remember in order to pull this off -- and not OBLITERATE battery life -- they'll have to add in some commensurate optimizations, whether improved power control, battery technology, or both.

-Matt

 

[kodiak799]

Yeah, I wonder what it would do to battery life. Plus, I wonder how ambient voices/music might wreak havoc. It's a great function for the car, or perhaps plugged in at your desk...but would be even better if maybe Locale/Tasker could turn it on or off based on location.

I love Locale....really wish Google would do more to make those features stock. And they still haven't managed to seamlessly integrate phone SMS with the GV widget.

 

[PereDroid]

Am I the only one that doesn't want a bendy phone?

 

[gadgetrants]

Am I the only one that doesn't want a bendy phone?

I totally, completely agree. Just don't get the idea. On the other hand, there's a small space somewhere in my frontal lobe where I know next spring I'll see a demo of a new bendy phone, doing something I can't imagine right now, and I'll want it.

Yeah, I wonder what it would do to battery life. Plus, I wonder how ambient voices/music might wreak havoc. It's a great function for the car, or perhaps plugged in at your desk...but would be even better if maybe Locale/Tasker could turn it on or off based on location.

I love Locale....really wish Google would do more to make those features stock. And they still haven't managed to seamlessly integrate phone SMS with the GV widget.

I'm a cheap...fella...so I lean toward free apps, and to the point, I installed Profile Scheduler the other day and really like it. The feature that impressed me the most is you can turn off location services for the app, and instead use detection of cell-tower IDs to switch profiles. Much more energy-efficient than tracking your location down to 3m with GPS just so you can switch from "car" to "home."

-Matt

 

[kodiak799]

The main thing with flexible screens is the durability. Also could be really interesting if, besides truly no bezel, the display wraps around one or more of the edges where you could then customize software buttons. A software volume slider would be a welcome change from the physical rocker.

 

[jkaod]

I too don't realy see the need for a flexible display. If it's flexible it would likely be more shatter resistant which is a good thing, but flexibility and scratch resistance usually don't go hand in hand. I would think they would be hard pressed to match the scratch resistance of gorilla glass and have it flexible. I'll take scratch resistance over flexibility. Always on voice commands are a definte recipie for confusion from ambient music or voices in the car. I have a blue tooth device that has voice commands always on and sometimes it will ask me what I want it to do when I haven't said anything but the radio is on in the car. Not overly annoying, but not optimal either.