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Galaxy Note 2 Rumors Pop Up Again: 5.5-Inch Flexible Display, Launching With Ice Cream Sandwich

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We’ve heard talk in the past that Samsung could wind up using one of their all new flexible displays in the Galaxy Note 2. Ever since Samsung’s displays went into mass production, it seems these rumors are kicking up once again.

As reported today by Korea IT Times, Samsung will pack a 5.5-inch flexible AMOLED HD display into the Note successor that reduces thickness by 0.4mm, but still provides added strength thanks to Unbreakable Plan (UBP) technology. While that doesn’t mean the phone itself will be bendable (it will still have a solid glass pane on top), it could possibly allow for the device to launch with a curved design, ala last year’s Galaxy Nexus. If true, the Galaxy Note 2 might not look like “a bigger Galaxy S3” as we once thought (although still very likely).

More rumors suggest Samsung may not have had enough time to test Jelly Bean on the phablet, and the Note 2 will launch with Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box. Just like the rest of Samsung’s high-end 2012 devices, an update to Jelly Bean is expected later in the year. If this means they can beat the iPhone 5 out of the gate, and get the new Note into consumers’ hands quicker — I’m all for it.

[KoreaITTimes | Sammobile]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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33 Comments

  1. Flexible display? No, not gonna happen. That would require a flexible PCB, and a flexible capacitive grid. Not gonna happen yet.

    1. Someone didn’t read the article

      1. a curved display is not the same thing as a flexible display. The purpose of having a flexible display is to be able to flex it. All the time.

        1. No that’s what you make off it!

        2. just because the display is flexible doesnt mean they cant mount it regularly not ussing the flexable atributes of the display while gaining the benefits of its thinner design.

          just because you can doesnt mean you have to. ;)

    2. actually… you could still have a ‘flexible’ display without having the phone to be flexible/ bendable. maybe it means you can press the screen hard enough not to break it or something like that.

  2. Anyway for Samsung to “prove” that they are innovating, I’m up for it. Obviously, they can. They just need to stop tunnel-visioning on the iPhone and come up with something different. The Apple case is not going very well for them..


    1. The Apple case is not going very well for them.. ” Not bad either :)

    2. I wish they would slowly start to change some of the aesthetics of Touchwhiz to start distancing themselves from the iOS inspired design. HTC and Motorola have changed the overall look of their custom UI. Hell, the newest Motoblur looks almost completely stock ICS. At this point, as long as their phone’s name starts with “Galaxy S,” and is boasting beastly hardware specs, people will still flock to their devices.

    3. They could start innovating by releasing it with the current operating system. It is soo customized it will be months before you see JB on this thing.

  3. What possible purpose could a curved display serve?
    Just to distort the image?

    Why not do *USEFUL* things like: Oh.. .gee… I don’t know… maybe…

    How about a 100% bug-free OS instead?

    How about coming out with a new phone that doesn’t use a very old version of Gingerbread from 2010?

    How about 2x or 3x battery life, instead?

    How about a “0 glare screen” in all lighting conditions?

    How about devices that do NOT cost $700 each?

    How about a device that isn’t destroyed just from 1 drop on the floor, from even 1 foot in the air?

    How about a solar charging panel on the back?

    How about a true, full screen… instead of totally wasting the extra screen space with on-screen buttons?

    How about if the user can decide if he wants your custom GUI… or the stock Android GUI?

    How about something as simple as a smudge-proof back… and a finger-proof glass front?

    How about somethings as simple as a case that is NOT slippery as wet ice, and slips right out of your hand?

    How about a screen that is recessed 1mm in, so that even if you lay your phone facedown… the screen never touches the dirty/scratchy surface?

    Gee, even a basic, average user can come up with a long list of ideas far better than any manufacturer can think of.

    1. NO. It needs to curve. O_O

    2. The 1mm recessed screen is something I love on my sensation.
      Good list btw

    3. 1)Curved display allows your phone NOT to shatter easily.

      2)Bug-free OS? Really? Now you’re just being impractical.

      3)It’s coming out with ICS, so your statement has become null and voided.

      4)How about a non-removable so you can complain about the battery being non-removable and say they’re copying Apple even though there is no reason anyone needs to remove their battery. You’d be better off buying an external battery charger.

      5)Windows even have glare. As if this is even possible on a mobile device. Really?

      6)How about they dumb down their processors so they can give you your “0 glare screen and solar panels”?

      7)Remind me how many Samsung phones have onscreen buttons?

      8)Deciding to root is deciding if you want the Custom OS or not.

      9)Because when they made plastic backs, that wasn’t good enough / Because glass itself is oil-resistant and this is very possible

      10)Even though you wanted a device that doesn’t stick to your fingers? If you can’t leave a fingerprint, your hand will slide right over it. Contradicting maybe?

      11)But remember you wanted your phone to have an uber-awesome screen? So what’s the point of this?

      I hate to say this, but you’re going to have to wait until 2015+ when have this stuff is possible AND cheap to do. Solar panels aren’t cheap and are VERY costly to maintain and replace.

    4. Good for you but BAD for business. (Everything you listed out is far less than what they have planned for their future phones)

      Business 101 is highly recommended

    5. you should totally work as a phone designer

    6. I can’t argue with the slippery point – the back of the ET4G is like Teflon coated ice.

      And the point about custom GUI vs. stock is something I’ve been wanting for years. I wish Google would force manufacturers to provide vanilla ROMs for their products. I’m not saying they have to provide a means to root, and they certainly don’t have to support it, but when they released the kernel source it’d be awesome if they released some form of AOSP ROM with nothing but the camera/4g/gps drivers working – they could call it a “generic development ROM” or something to that effect. I really think the entire Android platform would benefit if more users were at least given the option for a stock experience. Instead, the Android world is sharply and competitively broken between each manufacturer and the half-butted crap they bake into it. It’s sad to think most people have no clue what Android is really like – they are brainwashed to think SenseUI/TouchWiz/etc “is” Android when obviously it’s just a facade.

  4. I am thinking about a Note 2 with AMOLED blended over the edges.

    1. I am liking what you’re thinking…

      1. I like that you’re liking what he’s thinking.

        1. and I like that your liking what he’s liking that he’s thinking.

          1. insheepshun! too deep!

  5. Will this come out with Samsung’s HD that DOESN’T use pentile technology? Oh of course it will. =.D

    Too bad I’m crack-addicted to qwerty’s and waiting on that Photon Q.

  6. i guess curved screen means they can get sued. but they might get sued for using the term magical in their promo materials…

    seriously… curved display… practical or not?!? and there goes the chance of a free flipcase to come with the phone. dun think there are curved flip cases…
    and i think the last sentence is really uncalled for… “If this means they can beat the iPhone 5 out of the gate, and get the new Note into consumers’ hands quicker — I’m all for it.”

  7. It’s not a “flexible” flexible display, it has a definite shape when it’s combined with a sheet of glass and the only reason they are using it is because it’s thinner than other displays by about half a mm. You shouldn’t expect any radical departures in design from the original Note, the only departures you should expect are mostly software keys for better stylus integration.

  8. Not enough time to test jelly beans…….failure!

  9. I’m sure this will do great because I love my Note but not lauching with JB is a mistake IMHO..

  10. 5.5″ just ruined it for me

    1. It might be the same size overall phone with a smaller bezel and on screen buttons like on the GN. I’m hoping this is the case.

  11. I hope the new Note isn’t any bigger then the 1st Note. If they can keep the same overall size and just shrink down the excess bezel then that is great. I think the Note 1 is just a great size phone.
    PS- Hoping Samsung has intelligent people sitting on the Jury, The Judge in this case not allowing late evidence should be investigated, this is not a murder trial, I would bet my life that there is all kinds of back door deals going on and this Judge has had his or her pockets greased.

  12. If this launches on Verizon with at least the Snapdragon S4 and 2GB of RAM and at LEAST a 2,500mAH battery.. I will shell out the $600-800 for it!! I have the Razr MAXX now, but I’d LOVE a huge screen.

  13. From the Korea IT Times article, it sounds like the Note 2 will have a flexible screen, but it won’t be flexible. The benefits of the flexible screen that users will notice will be (a) that it is practically unbreakable, and (b) that it is thinner, and this will enable a bigger battery to be installed in the same thickness of device.

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