Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy Note III phablet may be a complete departure from the handsets that have made Samsung the world’s top smartphone vendor by shipment volume. The South Korea-based company’s current smartphones feature cheap-feeling plastic cases, but a report from last week suggested that the upcoming new Galaxy Note handset might ditch plastic in favor of a premium material for the casing. On the flip side, a new report now claims that the Note III will do away with the customary Gorilla Glass face in favor of a thinner shatter-proof OLED display assembly made of flexible plastic.
Recent rumors suggested that Samsung devices equipped with flexible displays might not ship until late 2014 due to delays, but an unnamed source speaking with Samsung blog SamMobile suggests the new Note III will include a flexible plastic OLED display with an unknown resolution measuring 6 inches diagonally. The claims back up an earlier report from OLED Association.
Beyond durability benefits, the Note III’s plastic OLED panel will also reportedly help the handset shed some bulk. According to reports, the handset will be about 8 millimeters thick — a fair improvement compared to the Galaxy Note II’s 9.4 millimeter thick case.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note III is expected to be unveiled at this year’s IFA conference ahead of a fourth-quarter launch.
