By Prince Osuagwu

Mobile devices maker, LG Electronics has confirmed that the boom in smartphone technology has resulted in products that are more advanced but has also gone a long way in producing devices that are cheaper and more accessible to consumers across the globe. This is even as the capabilities and global reach of smartphones have revolutionized society, making it easier than ever to connect with people across the world.

However, despite the highest global sales ever, smartphone returns in the developed world have started to falter as many analysts anticipate a seismic shift in the market. A recent report from Ericsson ConsumerLab made headlines across the globe when it predicted that smartphones would disappear by 2021. The survey of over 100,000 consumers in 40 countries found that many believed that the smartphone as a platform had hit its peak, and that the door was open for artificial intelligence, the next generation of wearables and emerging technologies to take over as the standard bearers of smart technology.

But LG believes that while these predictions are far from certain, the trends that inspired them are already influencing innovation in smart technology. With a product lineup that already includes powerful PCs and rapidly-improving wearables, LG says it is well poised to take advantage of the upcoming changes in the smartphone market. It says that with its exciting rollable screen prototypes it has the ability to breathe new life into smartphones in the near future.

General Manager, Mobile Communication division, LG Electronics West Africa, Mr. Steve Seungeui Lee said that “since the smartphone was first introduced, the screen has remained essentially the same. Although the size, quality and durability of smartphone screens have all improved dramatically over the past ten years, the underlying technology that powers the screen remains essentially the same outside of a few niche curved phones. Consumers have grown tired of the smartphone’s rigid screen and now seek something that is more adaptable and user friendly. The current crop of smartphones (such as the LG V10) represents the height of smartphone display technology. The V10 boasts an innovative second screen in addition to its 5.7-inch QHD main display that can be used for app shortcuts, or instant updates. However, this might not be enough to save the smartphone display as we know it. Great strides have been made in high tech rollable OLED displays that promise to bring new flexibility to the smartphone” he added.