Eleven months ago we posted a report titled "Apple may Adopt Next-Gen OLED Displays for 2017 iPads," which over time extended through to Apple sending out a notice to suppliers that they would be switching to OLED for iPhones between 2017 and 2018. Last August we posted a report titled "Apple Display Supplier LG Develops 'Game Changing' OLED Display Technology." LG made the announcement without giving us much of a clue as to what that game changing could be. Today, LG has given us a glimpse of their next-generation OLED technologies that includes a thin flexible display capability that could give way to next generation smart device designs. Their new OLED solutions are on display in a trade show in Germany that began on Sunday.

While the vast majority of LG's new OLED technologies are currently focused on OLED based lighting fixtures and displays within a mirror for home and office buildings, there was mention of one new segment of OLED solution on display called the "Flexible Solutions Section" that will showcase flexible OLEDs, lightweight but durable. This could be the beginning of solutions that will lead to next-generation devices like smart bracelets and watches that have a complete wraparound display as Apple first revealed back in February 2013.

Although a full wraparound display wasn't available in the market at that time, Apple's engineers envisioned the day that such displays would be made available and presented us with their vision in the form of a bracelet and smartwatch.

While LG's revelation this week doesn't mean that Apple will be releasing a next-gen smart device this year, we can be encouraged that such a device could be on Apple's road map now that the new thin flexible displays have finally arrived.

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