sciencetech-blog

comments

Samsung's next generation Galaxy handset could have a curved screen that covers both its sides.

The handset, which is expected to have a 5.5inch screen, will come in a 'special edition' version with the curved technology, according to Sammobile.

The Korean giant believes its curved technology could give it an edge over arch rival Apple. 

Scroll down for video 

A Samsung Galaxy Note E, the first to use Samsung's curved screen. It is claimed the Galaxy S6 could come in a special edition with both sides featuring the technology.

The handset is expected to be unveiled at Mobile World Congress, a trade show in Barcelona, which takes place from 2-5 March.

'Today, we can confirm that Samsung is indeed developing a Galaxy S6 with two-edge displays, one on each side, reports our source,' said the Sammobile site. 

The curved screen has already been used  in Samsung's Note Edge. 

However, S6 Edge will have the ability to work in a left or right handed mode

'You will have an option to choose favourite contacts and an ability to assign specific colours to them,' explained Sammobile.

'So, calls and notifications from important people will show the designated color lighting on the edge area.'

Samsung surprised audiences at the Berlin-based trade show IFA in September when it unveiled its curved device. 

The screen was described by Samsung's David Park at the event as working like a 'ticker', with notifications and news scrolling along it.

The Galaxy Note Edge's unique curved touchscreen provides quick access to frequently used apps and alerts.

The curved screen displays notifications at the top and bottom, while viewing a video without disruption, for example.

Because the curved edge remains visible even if a flip-book style protective cover is used, it is easier to keep up-to-date with incoming calls and messages. 

Previous leaks from BGR say the SM-G925F — the codename believed to be assigned to the Galaxy S6 — will feature a Quad HD (2560 x 1440 resolution) display, octa-core processor, Mali-T768 graphics processing unit, and a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera.

Earlier this month, in the face of stiff competition, and following a consecutive drop in profits, Samsung announced plans to curb the number of phones it makes each year.

Instead of releasing handset after handset and saturating the market with Samsung devices, the firm has decided it needs to concentrate on making fewer handsets, better. 

 The South Korean manufacturer is also expected to ramp up production of its remaining models so they can be sold more cheaply. 

In the face of stiff competition, and following a consecutive drop in profits, Samsung has announced plans to curb the number of phones it makes each year by between a quarter and a third. Instead of saturating the market with Samsung devices, the firm has decided it needs to concentrate on making fewer handsets, better

The strategy was unveiled during a presentation in New York by Samsung's head of investor relations, Robert Yi.

He said the company would reduce the number of smartphone models in 2015 by between a quarter and a third. 

Last month, for the third consecutive quarter, Samsung's profits took a hit.

The smartphone maker reported its lowest quarterly earnings in three years, after profits plummeted by 60 per cent compared to the same time last year.

Compared to a record-high of £6 billion ($9.5 billion) in 2013, the company achieved £2.5 billion ($3.8 billion) profits for July to September.

These figures were in line with what Samsung predicted earlier in October, and the firm blamed the drop on weak sales of its new Galaxy model.

The South Korean electronics giant became the biggest smartphone brand thanks to the popularity of earlier Galaxy models.

But the larger screen on Apple's new iPhone 6 has been linked with luring customers away from the larger Galaxy range. While in China, local brands are making inroads into Samsung's business.

In response to the dramatic drop, Samsung also vowed to revamp its smartphone range to win back customers.

Executives at the South Korean firm said it would overhaul its lower-tier line-up to boost price competitiveness, and use higher-quality components to set its devices apart.

'The mid-to-low end market is growing rapidly, and we plan to respond actively in order to capitalise on that growth,' said Samsung Senior Vice President Kim Hyun-joon during a conference call with analysts.

In a rare acknowledgement, Mr Yi added that Samsung had lagged behind changing market conditions.

Analysts claim the bigger iPhones released last month (shown) will likely take away customers who favoured Samsung Galaxy's larger screens. In emerging markets, such as India and China, Samsung's smartphone sales have been overtaken by local rivals

The company's response 'was not quick enough,' said Mr Yi. 

The earnings were below the median of analysts' expectations of £3 billion ($4.9 billion), according to FactSet, a financial data provider.

The decline in Galaxy sales has also hurt demand for Samsung components such as an advanced display called OLED.

'The operating margin declined due to increased marketing expenditure and lowered average selling price,' Samsung said. 

The company said it 'cautiously expects increased shipments of new smartphones and strong seasonal demand for TV products'. 

The latest profit drop comes despite the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S5 (pictured) earlier this year, which was received by mostly rave reviews. The Galaxy S5 handpicked features from its competitors and put them all into a single handset, with some calling it a 'superphone'

In emerging markets, such as India and China, Samsung's smartphone sales were overtaken by local rivals. 

'Rather than seeking stability, Samsung should seek to distinguish [its phones] with Galaxy's design policies,' Lee Seung-woo, an analyst at IBK Securities said.  

The company moved the launch of the Galaxy Note 4, a large smartphone with a stylus, to late September from October after Apple unveiled the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. 

It also began sales of the Galaxy Note 4 in China last month, getting an early start in the world's most populous country before Apple. 

Samsung unveils Galaxy Note Edge with a curved side (archive)