LG Electronics, the world’s third-largest smartphone maker, is expected to reveal its first curved-display smartphone, the G Flex, as early as Nov. 11, according to sources on Monday.

As revealed by previous leaks, the phone will have a vertical concave ― curved from top to bottom ― unlike the latest Samsung Galaxy Round, which is curved horizontally.

The curved OLED display is said to measure 6 inches, and as expected, will utilize IPS technology. The size of the device will be almost as large as the Note series from Samsung.

LG sources said the company decided on the top-to-bottom curve based on research showing it would be a better fit for the face when talking, and also easier to carry in pockets, which are usually located in vertical positions on garments.

The G Flex is to be fitted with a 13 mega pixel camera, and is likely to have a rear button, the same as the recently launched LG G2.

However, as with the Galaxy Round, the phone will not be bendable, meaning LG has yet to reveal a smartphone that is truly flexible. But this may soon happen, as LG Chem recently announced it would be mass producing flexible batteries, which are an essential component in a truly flexible phone.

Meanwhile, LG Electronics has no plans to mass-produce the G Flex, which will be sold at more than 1 million won, making it among the priciest handsets in the market.

LG will initially aim to sell up to an annual 120,000 of the G Flex, globally, with plans to up the production based on demand.

Last week, Samsung launched its first curved display smartphone, the Galaxy Round, to run SK Telecom networks. The two companies have had a strong rivalry since Samsung first launched its Galaxy series.

LG has yet to confirm the network but it’s almost a given that it will initially run on LG UPlus networks.

By Kim Ji-hyun (jemmie@heraldcorp.com)