Samsung‘s tryst with foldable phones isn’t a short term one. The company is trying its best to deliver a durable smartphone with flexible display. We’ve seen so many Samsung patents within the periphery of the flexible display technology. The word is that the first foldable Samsung smartphone, tentatively called the Galaxy X, will hit the market by the end of the year. Amid all these rumours, Samsung has patented another foldable smartphone.
The latest patent, which got the nod from WIPO on February 15, has sketches that look more or less similar to the ones from previous Samsung foldable phone patents. This could mean the company is still working on the foldable phone concept.
Samsung foldable electronic device
According to the patent, the foldable device could be a smartphone, a portable phone, a game console, a TV, a navigation device, an in-vehicle head unit, a laptop computer, a tablet or a PDA. The device will come with a technology that suppresses the tensile force or compression force generated in a flexible display during folding or unfolding of the device. The patent also describes a new hinge that prevents the device from deformation and damage, caused be a user touch.
The foldable device may include a housing and a flexible display. The flexible display will be connected to a touch panel through a connection unit. The two parts will be connected in such a way that they move relative to each other, enabling them to bent at various angle with respect to each other. This will enable the user to bent the device at any desired angle.
The connection unit may include multiple hinges to keep the curvature of the flexible display at a pre-determined value. This will prevent the display from excessive deformation, even in the folded state.
The biggest obstacle for foldable phones is durability and Samsung clearly seems committed to overcome this obstacle. It is evident from this patent that Samsung is still working on to improve the durability of its foldable phone and the so called Galaxy X might still be a concept.
Meanwhile, Samsung’s flagship phone of the year, the Galaxy S9 is nearing its market introduction. Not aware of its specs and details? Here’s everything we know about the Galaxy S9 and S9+.
