LG Electronics Inc. is bringing its smartphone with a curved six-inch (15-centimeter) screen to the U.S. later 2014. The deals announced 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.