And no, this isn’t the same thing that Apple submitted a patent app for back in 2011. Apple’s patent pertained to a “flexible display assembly” that wraps completely around a device and can display an interface on any part of the protective, transparent housing that covers it.
This is more similar to what SEL showed off last week: a touchscreen that bends gently around the sides of a phone. Like SEL’s prototype, Samsung figures that the curved edges are the perfect spot to add a variety of UI elements.
One possible use is shown above. The right bend acts as a clipboard, displaying thumbnailed bits like images or text snippets that can be dragged into text messages, emails, or status updates.
Other uses include displaying alphabetical tabs to let you flip through your contacts more quickly and providing chapter buttons (or bookmarks) for eBooks. Samsung also pitches the side as a good spot for the trusty old ‘slide to unlock,’ and it could be selectively turned on to show a battery bar while a phone is charging.
Most of what Samsung’s showing off is aimed at freeing up the main display area. While it’s not shown in the patent app, the TouchWiz multitasking dock might fit nicely into the curved margins. “Multitouch quick actions” are mentioned, and it’s possible that broad description covers something like the dock.
It’s easy to scoff at Samsung’s three-sided beast. Most people are just to get truly comfortable with flat touchscreens, and it’s hard for many to imagine how the sides on this thing would be useful. Software holds the key.
If Samsung’s next-gen TouchWiz (or whatever it’s called by the time they release a phone like this) can deliver an innovative, compelling user experience then by all means… bend the touchscreen around the sides of our phones.
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