CALIFORNIA, USA – LG Electronics is bringing its smartphone with a curved six-inch (15-centimetre) screen to the US later this year.

The deals announced Monday with wireless carriers AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile will give US 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 US 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 US$900 in other markets, but major US wireless carriers routinely reduce the upfront cost of smartphones in return for two-year commitments to Internet data plans.