Samsung rolls out Galaxy Round smartphone with curved screen

By Salvador Rodriguez

Oct. 9, 2013 9:20 AM PT

Samsung has delivered on its promise to release a curved-screen smartphone.

The Galaxy Round goes on sale in South Korea this week and features a display with an ever-so-slight left-to-right curve that is visible when the phone is held vertically.

Samsung says the device’s screen is the “world’s first commercialized full HD Super AMOLED flexible display.”

What’s the purpose of a curve? It may seem to be merely bragging rights, but there are a few, little-noticed benefits.

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For starters, the OLED technology used to make the curved screen is ultra-thin, and it is supposed to be very durable. This allows Samsung to build a small phone -- just 0.31 inches thick -- that will hopefully keep working even when users drop it.

Additionally, the curved screen on the Galaxy Round should make it slightly nicer to hold, with the curve fitting into consumers’ hands when they hold it up.

There’s also the “Roll Effect,” a new feature by Samsung that can be seen in the video below.

Roll Effect lets a user tilt the device toward him or her by pushing down on one of its edges to angle the screen in their direction. When the phone recognizes this action, it automatically lights up the screen and displays information, such as the time and date.

Samsung has not announced any plans to bring the Galaxy Round and its 5.7-inch-screen to the U.S. In South Korea, it will be available for more than $1,013.