Consumers may be eager to get their hands on Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Edge with its curved screen.

But a report hints that the South Korean firm is already working on its next-level displays for a fully foldable smartphone.

Unlike the curved models available now, such as the S6 Edge and LG’s Flex 2, Samsung's Galaxy S7 could be flexible and bendy.

A report hints that a fully foldable smartphone by Samsung could be ready as soon as next year. This image shows prototype curved screens unveiled last year

A spokesman for Samsung Display told Business Korea: ‘The industry believes that the commercialisation of foldable smartphones will be possible in 2016.’

HOW CURVED SCREENS WORK A number of the curved screens, including those created by LG and Samsung, use high molecular substance-based polyimide film. This forms the backplane of the flexible panel and is used as an alternative to plastic. The material makes it possible to achieve the maximum curvature radius, which in Semiconductor Energy Laboratroy's display is 0.7-inches (2mm). Polyimide film also helped reduce the thickness of the panel to significantly improve its flexibility. Advertisement

However, until other components such as batteries and processors are made to be flexible too, the dream of a roll-up smartphone will remain on the horizon.

It is not only smartphones set to get the flexible treatment, as bendy displays could have many uses, such as in smartbands and laptops, for example.

A spokesman from the industry said: ‘When flexible display technology is being used in e-books and laptops, which are substituted for publications, the concept of tiny portable PCs and e-books will be realised in reality.’

Rumours that Samsung was working on a bendable and virtually unbreakable version of its Galaxy handset first surfaced in 2012.

The false rumour said that the handset, codenamed 'Project J' could be released in April 2013.

Last year, LG demonstrated a 5.9-inch display that can be bent more than 100,000 times without being damaged, at an exhibition in Tokyo.

It is not only smartphones set to get the flexible treatment, as bendy displays could have many uses, such as in smartbands (illustrated) and laptops, for example

The foldable display is made of layers of lights using organic light emitting diodes (OLED).

It features touch sensors, meaning it works as a touchscreen at all angles and curvatures, and was demonstrated at the Display Innovation exhibition in Yokohama.

In July, LG unveiled an 18-inch screen that can be rolled up and it hopes to expand the technology to work with 60-inch displays in the future.