Some Hong IT humans that are better than the intense LG Rollable’s 13-second fold

《’Hong IT Man’ is a straightforward experience of IT and electronic devices where reporter Jung Jae-hong’s generous praise and ruthless criticism coexist.》

“I’m sorry for being short”

LG Electronics’ rollable phone was unveiled for the first time at the CES 2021 LG Electronics Media Conference at the World Home Appliances Exhibition on the night of the 11th Korean time. It was a disappointment for consumers who expected a hands-on video that handles products with their own hands in a teaser that lasts for at least 20-30 seconds. The rollable phone appeared in exactly 13 seconds, combining the 5 seconds of the appearance of LG Electronics executive director Kim Jin-hong and the 8 seconds of LG Electronics CEO Kwon Bong-seok holding the product and finishing at the end of the video.

It was a short time compared to the entire one-hour video, but the impression was so strong that there was only about a rollable smartphone in the live YouTube video of the event. I couldn’t talk much because of the lack of public information, but it was a moment to get a glimpse of some of the products. We looked at the features of the product and what is better than the foldable phone lineup that folds the screen that previously achieved form factor innovation.

● Form factor innovation name is’LG Rollable’… Automatic motor method

What became clear is the name of the product. The official name that appears in the video is’LG Rollable’. It appears with the formula’More to Explore’ to introduce that LG Rollable is part of LG Electronics’ Explorer project armed with new hardware. LG Electronics’ rollable TV, which was unveiled at CES 2019 two years ago and recently released, was’OLED R’. By giving the product name the name Rollable, it strengthens the perception that it is the first commercially available rollable smartphone.

The product driving method is similar to the rollable phone of OPPO in China, which was unveiled surprisingly last year. This is a method that automatically expands the display through a motor and enlarges the screen. The specific driving principle has not been disclosed, but the screen expands and contracts at a constant speed. The LG Wing, which was called the’horizontal instinct phone’ as the first product of Explorer, was also evaluated as being designed to be as stable as the hardware with a hydraulic damper and a miniature hinge. Likewise, LG Rollable’s automatic motor system is expected to be the first factor to determine its success or failure.

● No wrinkles? Some things better than foldable phones

According to information released on the Android developer site last year, the LG Rollable is 6.8 inches (1080×2428) when rolled up, and 7.4 inches (1600×2428) when the screen is fully expanded. Samsung Electronics’ foldable phone Galaxy Z Fold 2 (Z Fold 2) looks like a similar screen size in that it implements 6.2 inches when folded and 7.6 inches when unfolded. Although the size of the product must be disclosed, an accurate comparison can be made, but when comparing only the screen size, the size of the LG Rollable before the display is expanded is close to that of a general’bar’ type smartphone. As the Galaxy Fold was also upgraded to the second generation, the front display increased from 4.6 inches to 6.2 inches, but the width was narrow compared to the vertical length, so there was a limitation that it was inconvenient to type and watch videos. LG Rollable has the advantage of being able to use an extended screen at the same time giving the feeling of a general smartphone.

For this reason, it has similar features to the Huawei Mate X series, which folds outward rather than the in-folding Galaxy Fold series. However, Huawei Mate X is relatively weak in terms of durability because the entire screen is exposed outside. If the Galaxy Fold of the in-folding method has the limitation of wrinkles on the screen, the out-folding Mate X also has the disadvantage of the screen crying (protruding outward). It is difficult to confirm that the real thing is not disclosed, but the LG Rollable is highly likely to maintain a uniform screen thanks to the advantages of its driving principle. There are clear points to give you an edge in the form factor competition. There is a possibility that the front pop-up camera installed on the LG Wing has entered because no camera notch or hole was found on the front screen.

● Most importantly, optimization and software

LG Rollable is expected to be equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 AP (Application Processor) and secure more than 12GB of RAM. In order to take advantage of the advantages of large-screen smartphones such as multi-windows, it is necessary to first secure the ability to use various functions.

The next important thing is how much you can use the big screen. Samsung’s Galaxy Fold series has a feature that allows you to use a large screen immediately by opening the internal screen while using a specific application (app) on the front display. In short, the interoperability between the two displays is good. A multi-active window that can use up to three apps, and a free-stop hinge that folds the screen from Z Fold 2 is also applied. There are various problems such as YouTube application quality error, but it has received favorable reviews from consumers as a product with large screen usability.

In the case of the LG Wing, which LG Electronics previously changed the form factor, there was a disadvantage that the organic linkage between the main display and the second display was insufficient even though it had various functions. There was a point that it was difficult to properly utilize even when making a product with two screens. Because of this experience, some consumers look at LG Rollable with a mixed gaze. CES teaser showed that the video running on the 6.8-inch screen grows to 7.4 inches and is immediately optimized for the size. If there are many functions optimized for the characteristics of LG Rollable, it is expected that consumers’ evaluation will be positive.

The last key is price. The industry predicts that the LG rollable price will be at least 2 million won. The latest flagship smartphone top models of manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics and Apple have a price range of 1.5 to 2 million won. Considering that the Galaxy Z Fold 2, one of the most expensive products, was set at 2398,000 won, the LG Rollable is expected to ship at a price range of 2 to 2.5 million won. If we overturn our expectations and have high provisional competitiveness at a low price, we will be able to stand out as a symbol to revive the LG Electronics smartphone business.