Flexible smart devices may be on many a Christmas wish-list this year as Samsung and LG are poised to roll out such gadgets as early as this week.

Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest smartphone maker, has hinted it may be releasing the “Galaxy Round” this week to unveil its first curved device, while LG Electronics is likely to showcase a similar model next month.

The news comes as both Samsung and LG’s display affiliates have claimed they were the first to mass produce flexible organic light emitting diodes, or OLED. In Samsung’s case, it’s the active-matrix OLED, or AMOLED, which is said to be more suitable for portable devices because it consumes less power.

Flexible displays are the essential components in creating bendable and wearable gadgets that many expect to define the next generation of smart devices in a rapidly saturating market.

The display size is slightly different, with Samsung Display’s flexible AMOLED at 5.7 inches, while LG Display’s display size measures at 6 inches, the largest for any mobile OLED panel, the company said.

LG Electronics, as the world’s No.3 smartphone maker, will reportedly unveil its own line of flexible smartphones next month.

Batteries, another key issue for bendable devices, is also an area where the two tech companies are fiercely competing.

LG Chem on Tuesday announced that it was ready to mass produce three types of flexible batteries that can be fitted in the upcoming new device.

Samsung SDI, a central rival for LG, has not issued a formal announcement, but its CEO Park Sang-jin recently told reporters that “the technology has already been developed,” adding “it’s only a matter of time” before commercialization.

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