Back in 2018, we told you about a prototype touchscreen device created by a research team at Queen’s University. We pointed out that the device resembled an ancient scroll and in fact, it was named the MagicScroll. Dr. Roel Vertegaal, who is the Director of the University’s Human Media Labs, said at the time that the goal was to allow owners to scroll the product down to the size of a pen so that it could be carried in a shirt pocket. The prototype carries a 7.5-inch foldable display with a 2K resolution. The cylinder is created with a 3D printer.
Concept video shows what the Samsung Galaxy Scroll might look like
Fast forward a couple of years and now there is talk about a phone that Samsung apparently is working on called the Galaxy Scroll. The Korean manufacturer’s Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong was recently spotted with an unknown device in his hand that might have been a prototype of the Galaxy Scroll. Samsung and some other phone manufacturers are reportedly working on a stretchable form factor that in many ways is related to the scrolling models.
According to T3, a concept version of the Galaxy Scroll was created by Dutch 3D Designer Jermaine Smit who partnered with LetsgoDigital to create the 3D imagery. A video was created and you’ll notice that the concept includes the use of an S Pen which would be kept in housing similar to where you would find the digital writing instrument kept on a Galaxy Note model. This isn’t a surprise since the Galaxy Scroll could end up as a replacement for the Galaxy Note series which supposedly is missing from Samsung’s 2020 road map for the first time since the OG model launched in October 2011.
Oppo and LG are working on similar devices with the Oppo X 2021’s continuously variable OLED screen able to unroll between 6.7-inches and 7.4-inches. LG, which recently released the unique Wing handset that adds a second screen positioned in Landscape mode on top of a portrait based display, also has a rollable in the works. Considering that last month LG filed in the EU for trademark protection on two names, “LG Rollable” and “LG Slide,”it would seem that one of those monikers will be the name of the device. Expected to be part of LG’s Explorer Project alongside the LG Wing, we could see the LG rollable handset as soon as next March.
LetsgoDigital recently released a render of LG’s phone which is based on the company’s patent and it seems that LG is ahead of the competition for now.
