Samsung Galaxy Note 4 May Have Two Variants With Different Displays

Amid the swirl of reports about the display of the upcoming Galaxy Note 4 smartphone by Samsung Electronics Co. (NASDAQ:SSNLF) comes recent news that there might be a version of the device featuring a curved AMOLED display.

The Korea Times indicates that Samsung plans to unveil the Galaxy Note 4 at the IFA Expo in Berlin this September and that the curved-display variant may be available on a small scale in niche markets. The mass-market version of the Galaxy Note 4 will reportedly feature a flat AMOLED display like the previous Galaxy Note models.

These reports are not confirmed by Samsung, but we do know that the Korean manufacturer has been working with curved- and flexible-display technology for some time. Samsung notably showcased the latest developments of its flexible display technology at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in January, in the form of a prototype device with a 5.68-inch high-resolution flexible AMOLED display.

Samsung first announced its work with flexible displays at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show, where it unveiled its Samsung YOUM flexible display. Since then there have been reports of Samsung having trouble with YOUM development, with the manufacturer looking to go in a different direction with its flexible displays. Reports of Samsung’s flexible-display technology no longer have any mention of YOUM.

Still, Samsung flagships including the Galaxy Note 3 and the Galaxy S5 were rumored to feature flexible displays prior to their releases. These devices ultimately unveiled with flat displays. But Samsung has given an indication that rumors for the Galaxy Note 4 may actually be true. A Samsung executive told Bloomberg in January that the manufacturer has plans to utilize a “new form factor” for the Galaxy Note 4. Many believe this new form will be curved or a three-sided display, which would allow uses to read messages from an angle. Numerous Samsung patents have surfaced recent months detailing plans for curved-display devices.

Reports also indicate that the Galaxy Note 4 may feature a QHD display with a 1440x2560 resolution and may also retain the same 5.7-inch display size as the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is expected to be announced on Sept. 3, which will likely be one of the press preview days of the IFA Expo, scheduled for Sept. 5-10.

Follow me on Twitter.