Samsung is experimenting with a foldable smartphone design to potentially use as early as next year.
A new patent filed by Samsung features a design reminiscent of a flip phone, with a flexible seam in the centre of the display giving the device the ability to fold back on itself. Along with a foldable tablet patent filed by the company earlier this year, Samsung may be looking to make foldable designs the next big feature of their product line.
The foldable smartphone patent appears to date back to April, with a public notice on the Korea International Property Office recently being discovered by Dutch website Galaxy Club. The International Business Times reported the device could be “folded or unfolded semi-automatically”, and would feature secondary display that would activate when the primary foldable display is closed.
Apple is also reportedly working on a foldable display for a future iPhone release, with both companies looking to innovate in a market where innovation has stagnated in recent times.
A new flagship phone from Samsung dubbed the Galaxy X is rumoured to be released next year, but it isn’t clear if the patent relates to this device.
