Ironically, despite Samsung’s vision, the concept of what a phone looks like is far from being an open-and-shut case.

“The details are somewhat rough, but from what we can gather, one device will be a phone/tablet combo, whose 5-inch screen could be unfolded into an 8-inch screen. The other will be a phone that folds in half, not unlike a cosmetic compact (so, basically a flip phone but with a screen on both sides).”
–Stan Schroeder of Mashable, “Samsung’s bendable smartphones might become real in early 2017″

According to reports (which can be a dime-a-dozen in the tech world), there appears to be legitimate buzz building concerning a 2014 cell phone design by Samsung with a familiar throwback.

Bloomberg’s Jungah Lee has speculated on a possible 2017 launch for Samsung’s new phone.

The bendable phone seen in the video from 2014 will gain the attention of the smartphone consumer base. Specifically, businessmen, businesswomen and users in general who were excited by the Blackberry may find that this is a true alternative to the modern smartphone.

The prototype shown above has a large screen with expansive features that permit multi-tasking that’s visible in one large view, but is collapsible into a manageable storing size. The bendable phone also seems like it can be more conducive to business applications (ie- Microsoft Office programs) than Android models and the iPhone. Flexible tech is the trend these days, as evidenced by an LG TV prototype with a similar capacity.

Will consumers ultimately flip to Samsung’s new tech? Time will tell, but the answer could reveal where phones are headed the next few years. Smartphones are mobile computers and Samsung has, potentially, innovated that reality to a fascinating new level.

A level that opens up into a future with a wink and nod from the past.