Samsung's 'Unbreakable' Smartphone Screen: What You Need To Know

Smartphone users waiting patiently for an unbreakable screen won't have to wait much longer: Samsung announced Thursday that it's invented an "unbreakable smartphone panel."

What Happened

Samsung said in a press release its recently developed unbreakable smartphone panel has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories as being truly unbreakable.

The flexible OLED panel passed a "rigorous real-time durability test" based on American military standards, according to the South Korean electronics company. One of the tests conducted including dropping the device from 4 feet above the ground 26 times in succession. Another test consisted of subjecting the device to 71-degrees heat and negative 32-degree cold. 

In both cases, the device continued operate normally with no damage to the front, side or edge, the company said.

An additional test that dropped the phone from 6 feet — higher than the military standard — the panel had no sign of damage, according to Samsung. 

Why It's Important

Samsung's new technology could be used in multiple devices, including cars, portable game consoles and tablet PCs, according to the Apple Inc. AAPL competitor.

"The fortified plastic window is especially suitable for portable electronic devices not only because of its unbreakable characteristics, but also because of its lightweight, transmissivity and hardness, which are all very similar to glass," said Hojung Kim, general manager of the Communication Team, Samsung Display Company.

What's Next

Consumers should expect to see the new product sometime in 2018, CNBC said, quoting a Samsung projection from 2017. 

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Photo courtesy of Samsung.