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Over the years, phone-makers have shown off handsets that stretch, bend and fold. But inside a secret room at Samsung Display's headquarters in South Korea -- one that had never before been opened up to the press -- I got a firsthand look at the company's vision for the future of smartphones.
Along one wall sat a lineup of concept displays that could eventually make their way into future mobile devices. I wasn't allowed to touch the prototypes, but they were mounted on machines that repeatedly bent, folded and rolled the displays, showing off their range of motion.
Watch this: I Went Inside Samsung's Secret Display Lab and Saw Its Wildest Phone Concepts
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Consumer tech shows such as CES and Mobile World Congress have become stages for companies to exhibit their most ambitious innovations -- many of which never see the light of day. Still, they show how manufacturers are exploring ways to make our devices more intuitive and compelling. Samsung is one of the biggest players in the foldable phones market, having released the clamshell-style Flip, book-style Fold and even the phone-tablet hybrid Galaxy Z TriFold. The company's expected to unveil the Galaxy Z 8 series next week at its Galaxy Unpacked event.
During my visit to Samsung's global headquarters in June, I got a rare behind-the-scenes look at how the company tests its latest mobile displays, along with an exclusive preview of what may be coming next. Samsung didn't share specs for its concept displays, but here's what I saw during my tour -- and what it could mean for your future phone.
The Flex S folds into a Z shape.
SamsungOne concept, called the Flex S, opens and closes in a Z shape (not to be confused with the Galaxy Z TriFold, which forms a C shape and folds shut like a pamphlet). The Flex S opens up to a tablet-sized display, which could be ideal for watching movies. That's what I appreciated about the TriFold, which I happened to review while recovering from strep throat. Lying in bed, I enjoyed having a larger screen for streaming that I could simply fold shut when I was finished.
See also: From Extreme Heat to Half a Million Folds: A Rare Look Inside Samsung's Display Lab
The Out Foldable has screens on the outside of both panels.
SamsungAnother prototype, called the Out Foldable, is like a reverse book-style foldable. Instead of placing the larger display on the inside, as Samsung does with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the design puts both screens on the exterior and unfolds into a wider, mini-tablet-like layout, similar to some early foldables such as the 2019 Huawei Mate X.
This is a configuration I'm a little more wary of for a couple of reasons. One, it might be hard to avoid scratching or cracking the wrap-around external display. And two, I'm not sure I really need a touchscreen display on the back of my phone. But I have to admit, it looks pretty cool nonetheless.
The Flex Slidable (right) can expand horizontally.
SamsungThe Flex Slidable does as the name suggests. It can roll out to a wider display, which could be helpful for gaming or watching videos.
My first thought when I saw this concept was, "LG is rolling in its grave right now." (Pun intended.) The company teased a rollable smartphone at CES 2021, but the product was canceled after the company shuttered its mobile division just a few months later. In 2023, Motorola also unveiled a rollable smartphone concept with a screen that extends upwards, and its parent company, Lenovo, showcased laptop concepts at this year's CES that extend both horizontally and vertically. We'll have to see if Samsung's ideas make it out of the lab.
The Flex Hybrid can fold and roll open to a wider screen.
SamsungLastly, Samsung combined elements from its other concepts to create what it's dubbed the Flex Hybrid. This model can fold open and also expand with a rollable display. This makes for a more compact design while ensuring you don't damage the screen.
A foldable device with a rollable component provides extra screen real estate without adding as much bulk. One of the biggest drawbacks of the Galaxy Z TriFold is that it feels thick when its three display panels are folded shut. This approach could eliminate the need for an additional foldable panel, instead using a display that rolls out when you need more space and tucks away when you don't.
Next to these concepts were a couple more that caught my eye -- quite literally, in the case of one device that had a dazzling 5,000-nit peak brightness. For reference, the Galaxy S26 Ultra can hit a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. It was a lot to look at indoors, but that level of luminance could make it easier to peer at your screen in bright sunlight.
Looking at a 5,000-nit display indoors might not be very comfortable, but it can come in handy in the bright outdoors.
SamsungAnd finally, I saw a prototype mobile display with bezels so thin they were almost invisible. To highlight just how narrow the 0.6mm borders around the screen were, Samsung placed the phone-sized concept device on top of a tablet display. The two screens combined to form a single image of colorful cathedral windows. From a distance, it was hard to tell there was even a phone in the middle of the tablet; the image appeared seamless, uninterrupted by a phone's thick borders.
With bezels this thin, it's hard to tell there's a mobile display nestled in the center of this tablet.
SamsungAn expansive display stretching from one end of the phone to another can feel more immersive, but I also wonder how tricky it might be to hold the device without accidentally tapping something on the screen.
As with all concepts, it's not clear if or when Samsung will work these display technologies into its future mobile devices. But seeing these concepts offered a rare and fascinating glimpse into where smartphones could be headed.
