Samsung and LG to ditch the notch display with 2019 flagships

Samsung's Galaxy S10 and LG's G8 might not follow the notched display trend. Both companies are said to have found a way to ditch the controversial feature. Both flagships will still have a full-screen display.

According to Etnews, Samsung Display and LG Display have developed sound-emitting panels that would eliminate the need for a front facing speaker. This will allow them to completely remove the cut-out area that houses the speaker. The technology makes the display vibrate to create sound when the device is placed against the user's ears.

Vivo recently announced its NEX smartphone with a similar technology. Vivo calls this method Screen SoundCasting, and claims that "compared to other audio solutions for bezel-less smartphones, it conserves power, reduces sound leakage, and optimizes low to high pitch sound for a better and more balanced audio experience."

Samsung had a "Sound on Display" tech prototype, running in what seems to be a Galaxy S9+ casing. The presenter also joked that it was actually a Galaxy S10 display here. Now, a fresh report from Korean media states that the prototype will soon be a reality. The report suggests that Samsung and LG are ready to release their sound-emitting OLED displays in their flagship devices next year.

The sources even told the exact size of the Samsung display - 6.2-inches. Coincidentally, the Galaxy S9+ uses the same sized display, so this could mean that the company could bring the new tech with Galaxy S10, but with a more compact form factor. The transmission bandwidth is said to be in the 100 ~ 8000 Hz range, and due to the fine vibrations, users would only hear the sound if they put their ear to a fairly wide area at the top half of the screen.

Before Samsung launches the Galaxy S10, it will first unveil the Galaxy Note 9. A new concept photo of the phone in a 'Burgandy Red' color has surfaced online. The render is created by concept designers at SamsungMobile.News, who posted the image on their Twitter handle.

Well, as we know the smartphone won't see the light of day until August this year. So these are just the concept designs of the phone and are yet to be official. It doesn't come as a surprise that the concepts resemble the Galaxy S9 series and the previous Galaxy Note 8.