The rumor mill has been having a field day of late with all things Samsung Galaxy Note 3, and now we're hearing that the highly anticipated forthcoming phablet from the world's most successful mobile manufacturer may sport a revolutionary new plastic screen that is said to be shatterproof/unbreakable and flexible.
To grant the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 this plastic screen would mean the company would be eschewing its traditional glass screen. It would also mean that Samsung would be marking another notch in its ever-growing belt for innovations and leading the pack in all things mobile (and then some).
But if rival LG has anything to say about it, it seems its own LG Optimus G2 might be the first device to rock a plastic flexible/unbreakable screen and not the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
First, a bit of fun recent history: LG and Samsung have been having an interesting "competition" of sorts, particularly surrounding the latter's recent Times Square extravaganza in March, its unveiling of "the next big thing," the Samsung Galaxy S4. Samsung created a titanic marketing campaign for the device that hadn't even been seen yet, establishing some advertising in Times Square itself ... that LG summarily mocked in perfect high-school-student-council-election fashion by setting up the exact same advertising for its own already released LG Optimus G.
When we spoke with Samsung about the LG mockery campaign, we were told by a company public relations specialist that he doesn't "really know what [LG's] thought process was on that."
We're now seeing a similar rivalry spiking between the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the LG Optimus G2, both products coming out soon and both quite exciting (although there are certainly more expectations for the Note 3, considering the highly successful and popular Samsung Galaxy Note 2).
Despite the fact that Samsung is expected to have its Galaxy Note 3 come with the plastic unbreakable screen, there's speculation over whether or not the company will actually be able to follow through with that expectation.
"Apparently, Samsung may not be able to make enough of the brand new flexible screens to satisfy demand, and the report says Note 3 devices equipped with the special display will be available in limited quantities, and could be, 'Shipped to selected carriers in some regions,' " Digital Trends says in a report published on Tuesday, April 23.
"Sound familiar?" Digital Trends continues, skeptically. "Yep, it's a similar situation to the Exynos 5 Octa processor inside the Galaxy S4, which has only found its way into certain models."
Other problems with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 having a plastic, unbreakable screen is that Digital Trends reminds us it may not be able to run the Full HD resolution the Note 3 will likely sport, considering the Samsung Galaxy S4 already does the same (along with many of the Note 3's competitors).
"Samsung has been teasing us with flexible displays for a while now, but has recently backed away from saying they'll be out this year, which makes us wary of all this talk of one appearing on the Note 3," Digital Trends says.
Because LG seems to be more interested in taking down the Samsung Galaxy S4 than the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, the company is expected to come out with the LG Optimus G2 — which is said to also have the flexible, plastic, unbreakable screen — in Q3 2013 (some time between July and the end of September).
Gadget Gestures tells us that Won Kim, the chief of mobile at LG, has noted that — indeed — the forthcoming LG Optimus G2 is set to be a direct competitor for the Samsung Galaxy S4 and that it will "hopefully" come out in Q3 2013.
Kim also said that the LG Optimus G2 will be a "diverse, exclusive and extremely original gadget." But what does that leave for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, which we hear will likely be exhibited at IFA Berlin in September 2013?
Which device — the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 or LG Optimus G2 — do you think will have the plastic, unbreakable screen first? Would that sway your feelings one way or another? Let us know in the comments below!
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