LG B Project Rollable Phone May Launch Early Next Year

Although some may praise Samsung for innovations like the Galaxy Fold, LG perhaps deserves some commendation for launching more "experimental" smartphones in the market, even if they end up being a flop. From the misnamed curved LG G Flex to the modular LG G5 to its recent batch of the dual-screen accessories for its phones, LG seems to be less averse at putting money where its mouth is when it comes to radical innovation. In fact, despite its current financial situation, it may be launching its craziest phones yet, including a rollable phone in early 2021.

While Samsung has a fascination with flexible screens that can be folded, LG seems obsessed with ones that roll. That might make more sense on things like large TV displays that roll up and out of the way when not needed but LG has also been known to be playing around with the idea of a phone that rolls into a more compact form when not in use and then rolls out to a long stretch of screen like a tablet.

According to a new report, LG has one such phone already in the prototyping stage codenamed B Project, supposedly named after CEO CEO Kwon Bong-seok. The unorthodox display is being co-developed with China's BOE who has actually demonstrated a working rollable screen last year. The B Project is supposed to inspire confidence and boost morale around LG's ailing mobile business.

While a rollable display may sound more frivolous compared to a foldable one, it may actually be easier to pull off since the screen can spread the pressure across a wider surface area. The problem, however, is figuring out how to properly place the more rigid electronics like circuit boards and the battery.

This isn't LG's only "crazy" phone idea either. It has also been rumored to be working on "Wing", a smartphone whose main display swivels into a horizontal position, revealing a smaller display at the bottom. That one might launch sometime in the second half of 2020.