Industry experts seem to think smartphone innovation is dead. On the other side, there are promising stories about flexible screens and modular devices. Samsung was recently reported to have filed a patent for a foldable phone. We’re not talking displays that bend every which way possible, but an entire foldable gadget. This is not the first time the South Korean company has been spotted applying for a patent for such a handset.
But any fresh word about it is exciting seeing as the LG G5 is probably the only interesting phone to have arrived so far in 2016. Of course, software and apps can make or break gadget. At the same time, we do get tired of the same old hardware that’s merely faster, stronger and newer than its predecessor. Samsung’s foldable smartphone has been going around under the code name Project Valley, though believable renders of it are still to surface.
Also see: Meet the world’s first wireless flexible smartphone
The recently uncovered patent filed by Samsung depicts its handset with a mechanical hinge at the point at which it folds. It’s shown to feature a pair of magnetic studs to ensure that it remains closed upon being folded. The drawings have left out the home button, although the standard physical keys for adjusting the volume and locking or powering the device on/off are present. The placement of its camera setup is pretty standard too.
All being said and done with, don’t get too enthusiastic just yet. In early 2014, there was a rumor that Samsung was working on a foldable tablet for launch in 2015. It didn’t happen. Keep your finger crossed in the mean time, and watch the above video about Apple’s “amazingly innovative” iPhone SE.