CES 2022: and now tablets and foldable computers at Samsung

Despite the health situation, the CES 2022 electronics fair takes place in Las Vegas. In addition to new devices that will arrive on the market, it is an opportunity to discover the future projects of companies, with drafts of products under development. Samsung Display, the Samsung subsidiary specializing in screens, is present for a demonstration of its concepts for smartphone screens, Tablet and laptop.

Samsung created presentation videos, but oddly enough, they didn’t. It’s a YouTuber named after Abhijeet Mishra who succeeded in obtaining them. The first video presents the Flex S and Flex G with folding screens in three. The Flex S folds into an S-shape, with a third of the screen remaining visible on top. It comes in two formats. The first is a large tablet that folds up to become a sort of giant smartphone. No camera is visible, but it could be located below the screen. The second, smaller in size, contains a border on the left for the camera, and a large transparent border on the right. When folded, it becomes a small smartphone with part of the screen visible at the back.

More robust foldable devices

Flex G devices fold up into a G shape, meaning the screen is fully protected inside the device. Again, Samsung presented two versions, one the size of a large tablet, the other smaller. As with the Flex S, the second device folds down to adopt a smartphone format, but this time without a visible screen. The interest is therefore more limited, since it will be impossible to consult the notifications on the smartphone or the Flex G tablet without unfolding them. However, these devices could be much more resistant to shocks, like the Galaxy XCover line.

The second video presents the Flex Slidable, a smartphone concept in a classic format, with part of the screen folded behind the back cover. Thanks to motors, the smartphone can be enlarged laterally by unrolling the hidden part of the screen to increase the width of the display. This concept has already been seen at Xiaomi.

A laptop and a smart speaker

Samsung Display is not limited to smartphones and tablets, and has declined its foldable screen in a laptop PC. Unfolded, the Flex Note becomes a giant 17-inch tablet. Folded up, it transforms into a 13-inch laptop with one half of the screen that becomes a keyboard touchscreen or commands specific to the displayed content. This confirms information that was leaked last September, where the device was known as the Galaxy Book Fold 17. This is not the first computer of its kind, since Lenovo already offers its ThinkPad X1 Fold.

Finally, the last product is a connected speaker. The screen is wrapped in a cylinder shape around the speaker and shows basic information about the central part. However, it unfolds with the push of a button to get a 12 inch display.

All these products are prototypes for the moment, even if they are indeed functional and visitors to CES were able to take them in hand. Rather successful, some could arrive on the market in the near future, or these screens could be integrated into products from other manufacturers. Samsung, in any case, does not give any information on a possible launch.