Unbreakable flexible smartphone concepts to arrive this year?
But mass production won't start until 2014
Chances of a smartphone sporting a flexible display arriving before the year's end are slim, but we're hearing that we may at least see concept devices before 2014 rolls around.
According to Korean site ETNews the two major manufacturers of flexible displays - Samsung and LG - will start shipping the screens this November with a couple of concept smartphones in the pipeline.
This is all coming from unspecified "industry analysis", so we're taking it with a heavy dose of salt, but the source goes on to claim the concept handsets will be billed as 'unbreakable and light' and used as pilots to gauge market response.
Flex your muscle
Both Samsung and LG have a lot of work to do if the market reaction is positive however, with both firms needing to increasing their flexible panel production lines to cope with a mass market device.
That means will probably have to wait several months into 2014 before the first real, flexible smartphones possibly hit shop shelves.
Samsung is really pushing the flexible display envelope, as it recently set up a competition encouraging people to come up with ideas surrounding the technology with a prize of $10,000 (about £6,400, AU$10,900) up for grabs.
It's not just smartphones that are being groomed for flexible displays, with tablets and wearable tech such as smartwatches also heavily tipped to benefit from the bendy screens.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.