Samsung Electronics recently applied for a trademark on the “Infinity-V” moniker with KIPRIS in South Korea, the application suggesting that the manufacturer might be working on a new type of device and/or display designed for smartphones. The trademark application is dated October 26 and is awaiting examination but no other details have been included. Nevertheless, Samsung generally uses the “Infinity” moniker for its Infinity Display technology, and Infinity-V could be either a direct successor to the OEM’s OLED panel technology or a spin-off designed for a new form factor.
Samsung’s existing “Infinity Display” moniker has been used to describe its panels curved around the edges. The term was first used with the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S8 series, which pushed the side bezels to new limits and created the OEM’s iconic design language. The Infinity Display has been used for a number of devices since, including for models like the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Galaxy Note 9. As for the new Infinity-V trademark, it could be reserved for the company’s flexible display technology meant for flexible devices, or the name of the flexible smartphone itself. A recent report coming from South Korea indicated that Samsung is preparing to unveil its first foldable smartphone to the world during the Samsung Developer Conference scheduled to begin on November 7 in San Francisco, California. So far, this mysterious device has been the subject of various rumors, with reports referring to the unit by the Samsung Galaxy X, or the Galaxy F names. Given the timing of the KIPRIS application, there is a possibility that Samsung might have more to say about the Infinity-V smartphone/mobile display during SDC next month.
The overall design of smartphones has been stagnating for a few years. Smartphones aren’t getting much thinner because there’s little sense in doing so, and display-to-body ratios are nearing their physical limits. To stand out from the competition, Samsung is expected to introduce a new form factor, eventually, and if various reports turn out to be true then the OEM’s first foldable smartphone could be introduced next year. No doubt, if this future form factor becomes successful, more OEMs will try to emulate it and flexible display manufacturers including Samsung and LG will be in a very favorable position as major suppliers for the technology.
