Samsung patents weird 'two-way' foldable phone: Details here
After launching two highly innovative foldable phones - the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z Flip - Samsung appears to be exploring new ideas for the third member of the series. Case in point: A new company patent that shows a smartphone capable of folding in two ways - inwards and outwards - at the same time. Here is all about it.
The dual-folding phone patent
The patent, granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office, shows a tall, weird-looking device with multiple fold points. The top half of the device folds inwards, much like a flip phone, while the bottom half goes outward to the back, LetsGoDigital reported. This changes the size of the device, transforming it from an elongated device to a compact easy-to-hold unit.
Inward fold could also enable a notch-less experience
Along with reducing size, the dual-folding system could also enable a notch-less experience. Basically, by folding the top-end of the device inward, the rear camera could be used as the front-facing shooter, completely eliminating the need of a notch or a selfie camera on the front. However, it's hard to say how comfortable it would be to use a phone folded in two directions.
No details available on the finished device yet
That said, it must be noted that this is just a patent, filed by Samsung Display. The filing does not show any buttons, cameras, or connectors and there is no saying when or if the company will launch a device using this folding system. Notably, Samsung files dozens of patents every year but only a few of them end up as finished products.
Foldable phones are on the rise
Even if this dual-folding phone does not end up as a finished product, the patent shows the kind of innovation Samsung is considering for its devices. And, that is important, especially considering how actively leading technology companies, starting from Huawei to Lenovo and Xiaomi, are exploring foldable phones as the next big avenue in the smartphone segment.
