- Samsung is patenting a new foldable device that has a 360-degrees foldable display.
- It works as both primary inner and secondary cover display depending upon whether you are folding it outwards or inwards.
- This will eliminate the need to have a separate cover display although calls for potential durability issues as the display will fold both sides unlike the traditional foldable displays available today.
Most foldable phones fold either inwards or outwards, right? Well, what if I say there’s a 360-degree foldable device in the works as well? Well, I am not talking solely about a foldable display, but rather a full-fledged phone that will actually fold both inwards and outwards. This is something Samsung is doing, as revealed in patent-pending sketches delivered by tipster @xleaks7.
Samsung Patents Possible 360-Degree Foldable Phone
According to Atlyginimo Skaiciuokle and @xleaks7, one of the sketches in the patent application shows a phone folded as usual. However, what’s interesting is that another unfolded image shows that the phone can actually fold both inwards and outwards, aka 360 degrees. This means that you no longer need a cover display; rather, the primary display can fold outward 360 degrees to act as a phone with a standard form factor.
The other images tagged in the patent show exactly how the display will fold both inwards and outwards, allowing users to enjoy both extended and a folded form factor without any hassle.
The description mentions Samsung has added self-developed supportive layers under the flexible ‘ultra-thin glass (UTG)’. The intricate mechanism of custom support plates allows the display to fold both inwards and outwards thanks to their unique lattice and stripe pattern.
We Have Seen This Before, Isn’t It?
If you follow tech news as I do, you’d say ‘Hey, I have seen this before’. Turns out, the South Korean giant showcased a prototype display in 2023 showing its ability to fold 360-degrees. It was seen at the CES 2023 as a “Flex In & Out” display that uses a special water-drop hinge design to take away excess stress from the display and rather make it easier to fold in the desired manner.
There was a demonstration for a “Flex In & Out” prototype in 2021 as well at the International Meeting for Information Display (IMID), however, using a different approach. We are seeing tectonic shifts in foldable technology over the years, and seems like the “Flex In & Out” display on a Samsung phone might just become a reality in a couple of years down the line.
