The bendy smartphone dream gets a step closer to reality. Samsung Display recently announced that its unbreakable smartphone panel, which it developed recently, has just been certified by UL (Underwriters Laboratories), an official testing company for OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the US Department of Labor. The company said that in addition to being used on smartphones, the newly developed display is expected to find viable markets with other electronic products such as display consoles for automobiles, mobile military devices, portable game consoles and tablet PCs for e-learning.
Samsung Display developed the flexible OLED panel with an unbreakable substrate and an overlay window securely adhered to it. Current-generation flexible display products attach a glass-covered window to their display that often breaks when severely impacted.
According to UL, the unbreakable display developed by Samsung Display passed the rigorous real-time durability test that is based on military standards set by the US Department of Defense. After a drop test administered at 1.2 meters (nearly 4 feet) above the ground 26 times in succession, and accompanying high (71 degrees) and low (-32 degrees) temperature tests, the Samsung unbreakable panel continued to function normally with no damage to its front, sides or edges.
Even in a subsequent 1.8M (nearly 6 feet) drop test – significantly higher than the US military standard – Samsung Display’s unbreakable panel operated normally with no sign of damage.
“The fortified plastic window is especially suitable for portable electronic devices not only because of its unbreakable characteristics, but also because of its lightweight, transmissivity and hardness, which are all very similar to glass,” said Hojung Kim, general manager of the Communication Team, Samsung Display Company.
