Samsung has been spotted working on a new design for a foldable phone that can fold inwards and outwards. A patent application from the South Korean tech firm shows a very thin 360-degree foldable phone, equipped with an inner screen that can be unfolded to form a larger display, or folded backwards to be used as a cover display. Samsung previously showcased a prototype of a similar device in 2023, but there’s no word on any plans to launch a commercial version of the foldable phone described in the patent application.
Samsung’s 360-Degree Foldable Could Make Cover Displays Obsolete
Details of the foldable phone are seen in patent application
Diagrams showing the display folding outward (left) and fully unfolded
Photo Credit: USPTO/ Samsung
Unlike most foldable handsets with two panels that can be folded and unfolded in a single configuration, the patent application describes a phone with a large, slim display that can be folded in two configurations. It has two “folding areas” that allow the screen to be folded inwards and outwards.
The foldable phone is expected to be equipped with flexible OLED screens with ultra-thin glass (UTG), allowing it to fold forwards and backwards. This also means that Samsung might not need to equip the device with a cover display.
In order to enable this dual folding functionality, the patent application describes the placement of the first a second folding areas between the first and second non-folding areas. The folding mechanism is supported by a multi-layered structure that uses thin plates.
The “outer” portion of the foldable phone appears to feature a raised island, with three rear cameras. This module is accessible when the phone is folded inwards as well as outwards, as per the patent application. There’s no clarity on whether the screen will also feature an under-display camera.
Over the past few years, Samsung has showcased a handful of foldable designs, such as the Flex G and Flex S prototypes that could eventually arrive as tri-fold smartphones. Readers might also recall that the company showed off a Flex In & Out prototype with a 360-degree foldable screen in 2023. However, there’s been no word from the company on plans to launch a commercial version of that device, or the one described in the patent document.
