LG Phones Listed on Secondhand Sites Soar to 4 Million Won... What’s Happening?

LG's Last Production of Hundreds of Units Before Business Withdrawal Distributed as Commemorative Gifts
Samsung Electronics May Unveil Rollable Phone as Early as Next Year

Interest in LG Electronics' rollable phone, which was the last device the company unveiled before exiting the smartphone market, continues to this day. The resale price of LG Electronics' rollable phone reaches up to 4 million KRW.

On the 30th, posts expressing a desire to purchase LG Electronics' rollable phone prototype could be seen on various secondhand trading sites. Due to high demand and limited supply, purchase prices ranged from 2 million KRW to 4 million KRW.

LG Electronics' next-generation strategic smartphone 'LG Rollable', showcased in a short video at 'CES 2021'.
[Photo by LG Electronics]

LG Electronics' rollable phone was first revealed as a prototype video at the press conference of CES 2021, the world's largest information technology (IT) and home appliance exhibition, held in January 2021. In the introduction video, the 'LG Rollable' shows the screen expanding when a button is pressed and shrinking again when the button is pressed once more. The size can be extended from a minimum of 6.8 inches to 7.4 inches.

Although the market had high expectations for this innovative technology, which had never existed before, LG Electronics officially confirmed its withdrawal from the smartphone business in April 2021, and the rollable phone was never released to the market and disappeared. This marked the end of 26 years since the business started in 1995.

Although LG Electronics' rollable phone was never officially released, it was produced in limited quantities and given as souvenirs to executives, investors, and some developers. It is estimated that hundreds of units were produced, each assembled by researchers piece by piece from over 1,000 components.

It has been four years since LG Electronics withdrew from the business. While foldable phones, which fold and unfold devices in half, have established themselves in the market centered around Samsung Electronics, no company has released a rollable phone with a display that rolls due to technical limitations.

For this reason, many consumers express regret over the LG Rollable phone. The numerous posts seeking rollable phones on secondhand trading platforms seem to reflect this sentiment.

Meanwhile, experts predict that the launch of rollable phones is not far off. Chinese companies are actively working on launching rollable phones, and there is speculation that Samsung Electronics could unveil a rollable phone as early as next year.

In particular, it is widely expected that Samsung Electronics will respond with a rollable phone around the time Apple releases a foldable phone. Samsung recently filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) under the name 'rollable electronic device.'

Experts say, "Rollable phones remain a mystery due to their more difficult durability and higher price compared to foldable phones," but "they are receiving great attention as the next-generation smartphone following foldable phones, so the launch of rollable phones could become visible around next year."