Since Samsung first displayed its flexible display at CES 2013, there have been never-ending rumors that it is working on foldable smartphones as well. Earlier this year the rumor reignited when Samsung was granted a patent related to a mobile device with a flexible display. This flexible display is designed to provide various user interface regions on a flexible touch screen.
According to the patent, the flexible touch screen user interface includes three regions – external touch screen region (122), internal foldable touch screen region (126) and curved-surface touch screen region (124). The curved-surface touch screen region is designed to couple the external and internal touch screen regions. Further, this patent describes different methods of operation of a flexible mobile device.
The mobile device is disclosed to have a sensing capability to sense the folding angle of the internal touch screen. Different operations are executed based upon the current state of the phone. The folding angle determines the display of icons/applications on the three different regions. When the folding angle of the internal touch screen region is less than a predetermined angle, the device is determined to be in a folded state and the icons/applications are displayed on the outer touchscreen. Similarly, when the folding angle of internal touch screen region is equal to or greater than the predetermined angle, the device is determined to be in the unfolded state and the inner touchscreen is used to display the icon/applications.
Another rumor afloat in the market is that Samsung aims to release this foldable smartphone by 2018 under its Galaxy Note brand name. However, Analysts are skeptical and believe that there are several hurdles before such a device can be launched. They believe that mass production of a foldable smartphone with a thin body and with top technological features might push the release date further. But even if the release is delayed, the foldable display phone will actually be a new innovation in the smartphone industry. We cannot wait to see what the new Samsung phone will be like.