Samsung has announced a new materials partnership, which could signal a desire to move away from its reliance on plastic for Galaxy smartphones and tablets.
Following widepsread criticism of the build quality of recent handsets, the company has alligned with the SGL Group, which specialises in the much tougher carbon fibre material.
The 50/50 partnership, which will be known as Samsung SGL Carbon Composite Materials, will provide tech for use in the company's consumer electronics products, according to a press release on Monday.
"The cooperation is expected to provide a stable long-term supply of carbon fiber materials for Samsung and promote its use in various Samsung products and applications such as consumer electronics, medical devices and engineering applications," the release read.
Leading player
Samsung said the partnership is aimed at making the company a leading player in creating carbon fibre products, a sure sign that it plans to leave the plastic devices behind.
"Lightweight materials have become an important factor not only in industrial applications but also the consumer end markets such as digital media," Yoosung Chung, President & CEO of Samsung Petrochemical said.
"This partnership will position Samsung as a leading player in the development and application of carbon fiber-based products," he added.
The company had previously defended the use of plastic in devices like the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4, saying it allowed the company to produce the handsets faster and more efficiently.
However, the aluminium HTC One smartphone, along with the existing iPhone 5 device, left Samsung trailing in the wake of its rivals in terms of premium build quality. Is that about to change?
Via PhoneArena
