Report: Samsung phone with bendable screen may launch next year

The next smartphones from electronics giantSamsung could feature a bendable screen.

According to Bloomberg, Samsung may roll out smartphones using the technology next year. Citing "people familiar with the matter," the report says one of the devices could fold in half like a compact.

A second device will feature a 5-inch screen as a phone, and expand to an 8-inch screen in a tablet form.

Samsung is familiar with the bendable screen, launching the Galaxy Edge smartphone featuring a touchscreen that curves on to the side. If true, this next phase would mark a huge step forward for touchscreens.

The smartphone business could use an injection of life with signs of a slowdown approaching. Internet analyst Mary Meeker projects smartphone sales to rise 21%, slower than the 31% growth rate from the year before.

Samsung goes rugged for Galaxy S7 Active

Those looking for a tough smartphone now have a new option, at least if they're on AT&T.

AT&T and Samsung have once again partnered to create a more durable version of the latest Galaxy, announcing the Galaxy S7 Active on Monday. The companies have been working on tougher Galaxy S devices since the Galaxy S4 Active released in 2013.

Similar to the new Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, S7 Active is IP68-certified and can be submerged in up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. Unlike its glass siblings, the Active is also built to withstand dirt, sand and drops from up to five feet. In some early tests, the phone did not fare well when dropped on concrete, though AT&T says this is an anomaly due to a faulty unit. A new device has thus far fared much better when dropped on a variety of surfaces, but we'll see how it does after further testing.

The Galaxy S7 Active retains many of the latest features found in Samsung's newest Galaxy smartphones, including a high resolution 5.1-inch display, 12-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera and speedy Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor with 4GB of RAM. This year's Active also packs a fingerprint sensor, a first for the line, and a larger 4,000 mAh battery that AT&T says will provide over 32 hours of talk time and can fully charge in under two hours through fast charging.

Unlike other recent Galaxy S devices, the more ruggedized design means that the S7 Active will not work with Samsung's Gear VR virtual reality headset.

The Galaxy S7 Active is exclusive to AT&T and will be available on June 10 for $26.50 for 30 months when purchased on AT&T's Next payment plan, or $33.13 a month for 24 months when bought on the company's Next Every Year plan.