Smartwatches have tried hard to convince users they are a worthy extension of smartphones, but the idea of merging both formats is on everyone's mind, and any serious attempt will need new developments. That's where FlexEnable comes in, with its flexible LCD screen of 4.7 inches that can be installed on any curved surface without losing sharpness.

FlexEnable: A Flexible LCD That Puts a Smartphone on Your Wrist
FlexEnable

The Mobile World Congress 2016 has just had its first official day (for the press it starts earlier), and there you can see everything from virtual reality to smartphone-controlled robots. Over time we'll cover the most relevant details, but what brings us here today is nothing less than a flexible display. Granted, we've seen similar developments, and changing the shape of a flat screen is not exactly new, but with flexibility in the equation, a whole range of possibilities opens up, starting with wearables. For instance, we all know a life-size PipBoy would be very uncomfortable... and yet we love the concept. Is the smartphone destined for our wrists? To achieve that, it would need a screen up to the task...

https://www.youtube.com/embed/GZfZdxPWoME

FlexEnable's Flexible LCD Display

And that's what FlexEnable is working on. The prototype at the Mobile World Congress is based on a 4.7-inch screen with image quality that, according to the manufacturer, is on par with other LCD screens with the same energy consumption. FlexEnable's technology relies on plastic transistors and goes by the curious name of OLCD (Organic LCD). The screen is flexible, but it's not something we can bend at will. This limit will likely be overcome by flexible OLED screens, though that is much further down the road.

FlexEnable: A Flexible LCD That Puts a Smartphone on Your Wrist
For now, it's just a screen. Tomorrow, who knows...?

The Road Ahead

However, FlexEnable is not a company that develops devices, so the future of this screen (assuming it has one) will be tied to the interest of other names and their theoretical licenses. In other words, the flexible screen is just one piece of the puzzle that manufacturers will have to solve to create new wearables and smartphones.

For more information, visit the official site.