Samsung Display was recently granted a patent for a tri-fold smartphone that can be folded twice. The company currently offers single-fold flip and book-style foldables, but has yet to launch a competitor to the
Images of Samsung’s tri-fold phone from the patent document
Photo Credit: USPTO
The document also suggests that the inner display on the tri-fold smartphone will be surrounded by slightly thick bezels. It appears to feature a single camera on the left panel, while the one on the right appears to house an S Pen (Fig. 9), which means that it could offer support for features that require a stylus.
Samsung has shown off several prototypes for foldable devices with two hinges since 2022, but the company has yet to launch a commercial version of these ‘Flex G’ and ‘Flex S’ foldables. According to a recent report, the company could be gearing up to launch its first tri-fold smartphone, that could arrive as soon as July.
The rumoured Samsung G Fold could introduce a new design with three panels that fold in the shape of a G, instead of the Z-shaped fold on the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate Design. Samsung’s tri-fold smartphone could feature a separate cover display, as the inner screen of the Galaxy G Fold wouldn’t be exposed while the handset is folded.
While Samsung’s latest patent also describes a phone that also folds in the shape of a G, it is currently unclear whether the company plans to launch a foldable phone with this design in the future. We can expect to learn more about the company’s first tri-fold smartphone in the coming months, as it is expected to launch — in select markets — alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7.
