LG Electronics announced January 6, 2014 with wireless carriers AT&T Inc., Sprint Corp. and T-Mobile US Inc. will give U.S. consumers their first chance to buy LG's "G Flex." The device is being touted as the first step in the smartphone's evolution from a rectangle that doesn't bend into a device that someday will be able to roll up like a scroll or fold like a wallet. The G Flex is a long way from reaching that goal.

Besides a concave screen, the G Flex's other distinguishing features are a curved battery and a special coating designed to automatically repair minor scratches to the exterior. LG Electronics began selling the G Flex in South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong late last year. The precise timing of the G Flex's U.S. release or how much the phone will cost hasn't been disclosed yet.

Those details are expected to come in the next few weeks. The G Flex has been selling for more than $900 in other markets, but major U.S. wireless carriers routinely reduce the upfront cost of smartphones in return for two-year commitments to Internet data plans.