Samsung's rollable phone may finally be rolling toward reality

Samsung’s ambitions for a rollable phone aren’t exactly new. The company has been linked to expandable smartphone concepts for a while, shown in patents, prototype displays, and regular supply chain reports. Now, a new report from South Korea adds another piece to the puzzle, hinting that the project is still on track.

Korean outlet Money Today reports that Samsung is aiming to release its first rollable smartphone in the first half of 2028 (via SamMobile). That is still a long way off, but the report adds more credibility to rumors that have been around for several years.

The device will reportedly use a rollable OLED panel from Samsung Display, but no final decision has been made, the report said. Samsung Electronics is reportedly leading development internally while working closely with its display division.

This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone following Samsung’s display technology. Samsung Display has been showing off flexible OLED concepts for years that go well beyond today’s foldables. At CES 2023, it announced the Flex Hybrid display that combines folding and sliding actions into one panel. It also showed off the Rollable Flex, a display that can stretch out to more than five times its original size. Those demos never came with launch plans, but they showed that the underlying technology was steadily maturing.

Samsung has filed a number of patents for expandable smartphones over the years, leading to speculation that a commercial device was only a matter of time. Of course, patents don’t always turn into products, but this latest report suggests Samsung hasn’t given up on the idea.

A rollable phone is not like the foldables of today. Instead of a hinge opening, part of the display is tucked inside the phone’s body and slides out when you want more screen. The approach promises a larger display without the burden of carrying a larger device all the time on users.

Of course, this convenience comes with major engineering challenges. The display must roll in and out many times without damaging the OLED panel, and the internal mechanism must be reliable for years of daily use. Samsung also has to ensure the larger screen retains its brightness, color accuracy, and structural integrity.

If the timeline being reported is accurate, it looks like we have a couple more years to wait before Samsung is ready to show us what comes after foldables.