With the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 having long been tipped to adopt a 4K display, Google’s newly announced Android M operating system has just paved the way for the next stage in smartphone resolution evolution.
Having been formally announced during last night’s Google I/O 2015 Keynote, the Android M Developer Preview has started to offer up details on a selection of newly supported features.
One such addition is the ability for Android M-powered devices to support smartphone displays with resolutions up to 3840 x 2160 pixels.
This is a marked step up on the 2560 x 1440 pixel QHD panels currently supported by Android Lollipop and found on devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the LG G4.
Whether or not smartphones really need 4K screens is still debateable, but the move adds serious backing to claims the first 4K phones are set to go on sale later this year.
Related: Everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S7
Outlining its future smartphone roadmap back in late 2013, Samsung – speaking at an analysts meeting – highlighted how it planned to launch its first 4K screened phones towards the end of 2015.
With the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – a device which launched in September 2014 – having marked the company’s first move into the 2K race, it is believed that the Note 5 will see the Korean manufacturer take the market-shifting leap to 4K.
Are 4K phones necessary? Share your thoughts below.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.