Samsung and LG might often find themselves battling it out where smartphones are concerned but they do have a lot in common. Besides the fact that South Korea is both their home territory, as well as a fierce battleground for them both, the two are some of the leading names where display technology is concerned. For years, Samsung and LG have been known for producing some great-looking TV sets and that naturally carried over into smartphones. Samsung have been plugging their Super AMOLED displays for some time now, while LG chased ever-higher resolutions and clarity. They were both usurped by Sony this year however, as the Japanese firm managed to launch the Xperia Z5 Premium with a 4K Ultra HD display, an the question now is who will follow suit? According to this latest rumor, it looks like neither LG nor Samsung will be following Sony’s lead into 2016.
According to Korean media, it appears as though neither LG or Samsung will be producing a 4K smartphone in 2016. It’s said that overheating and efficiency are the leading factors to cause both of these smartphone giants to avoid 4K smartphone screens next year, but there’s more to it than that. Resolution isn’t everything, and while last year’s LG G3 was one of the first Quad HD devices to hit the market, it wasn’t one of the best displays available. Samsung have proven time and time again with their Super AMOLED technology that color, deep blacks and overall reproduction is what creates a great smartphone display. AMOLED displays are a little trickier to perfect and produce en mass as well, so there could be some difficulty for Samsung where 4K smartphone displays are concerned. All-in-all though, there’s not much of a case for a 4K smartphone. Sony’s Xperia Z5 Premium only uses the full 3840 x 2160 display when it’s playing back 4K content, and on a screen that’s 5.5-inches in size it’s arguable that people wouldn’t tell the difference.
With 4K still taking off in the mainstream, it’s no wonder that big smartphone manufacturers are thinking twice when it comes to placing these higher-resolution displays into their flagship products. Of course, as 2016 gets underway, things could change and there are whispers of Samsung exploring options for a 4K Galaxy S7 Premium, but as with most rumors we’ll just have to wait and see.