The LG V30 and Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will feature a 6.2-inch and 6.3-inch display panel, respectively, industry sources said earlier this week. The two South Korean original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are expected to continue increasing the screen sizes of their high-end models in the second half of the year, insiders claim, implying how that trend is connected to or prompted by another new design practice in the smartphone industry – unconventional aspect ratios. The LG G6 sports an 18:9 display panel and the upcoming V-series flagship may do the same, with the company itself recently saying that the overall aesthetic of the LG G6 will likely be adopted by many of its future products in the future, even mid-range offerings.
The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus were unveiled with an aspect ratio of 18.5:9, featuring displays that are even taller to that of the LG G6. Many previous reports suggested that the Seoul-based consumer electronics manufacturer is looking to follow a similar design language with the Galaxy Note 8 and will release more devices with nearly bezel-less bodies and screens wrapping around their edges. Adopting taller aspect ratios and slimmer bezels allows manufacturers to continue increasing the screen real estate on their smartphones without making them significantly larger, though it remains to be seen how long will this trend continue until the average consumer finds that OEMs are making devices that are too tall for comfortable use.
LG and Samsung aren’t the only two phone makers that are planning on increasing the screen sizes of their upcoming products, with Google being expected to do the same later this year with the Pixel XL 2, another handset that’s rumored to feature a screen with a tall aspect ratio (1.95:1) and possibly even be manufactured by LG. All of the aforementioned products are scheduled to be unveiled in the coming months, with both LG and Samsung reportedly looking to introduce their new premium offerings as early as August before releasing them in September and beating the Apple iPhone 8 series to the market. The 2017 Google Pixel lineup is said to be launched at somewhat later date as most industry insiders are expecting the Alphabet-owned company to unveil it in October.