A look at gadget happenings, as Nokia and Samsung push flexible smartphone displays, Apple reportedly considers axing the Mac Pro and Sony splits its TV business.
Nokia and Samsung look into flexible smartphone displays
Nokia showed off a prototype of a smartphone with a flexible screen.
The Nokia kinetic device, shown at London’s Nokia World 2011, can be controlled by bending and twisting it, with the interface reacting to these motions.
Nokia isn’t the only mobile manufacturer to look into these displays, as Samsung has said it will release mobile phones with flexible displays next year.
PC World reports that Samsung’s flexible OLED displays with pixels that emit their own light may arrive on mobile phones in early 2012. Tablets and other devices will get these displays at a later stage.
Apple to axe Mac Pro?
Apple is rumoured to be evaluating whether or not it should continue with its Mac Pro line after this year.
AppleInsider reports that the workstation’s sales have been low between consumers and enterprises, so it may no longer be profitable for the consumer tech giant. There has also been a delay in the Mac Pro’s Xeon Sandy Bridge processors.
In Apple’s reported discussions about the future of the Mac Pro, executives considered the new Thunderbolt technology could allow Mac desktop and notebook computers to assume most of the roles the Mac Pro covered.
Apple sold a record 4.89m Macs this quarter and 74pc of these sales were made up of its laptop range – the Macbook Air and Macbook Pro. The iMac led desktop sales.
Sony to split TV business in three
Sony will split its television business into three divisions in order to boosts its fortunes and make it more competitive.
Reuters reports Sony’s TV business has experienced its eighth straight annual loss and as a result, Sony will split it in three.
One division will take charge of LCD TVs, another will control outsourcing and the other will be responsible for next-generation TVs.
Sony could also sell its 50pc stake in its LCD joint venture with Samsung.
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