Korean electronics giant Samsung has secured patents for tri-fold and rollable smartphone display technologies from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Samsung Gains Patent Approval to Develop Smartphones With a Tripple and Rollable Display
The triple-fold display, showcased at the CES 2022, is for an upcoming device encompassing three display areas: a flexible primary display, a secondary display area, and a tertiary display area placed between the primary and secondary displays.
According to the patent document, the design features a display module with one folding area that allows for the expansion of the screen across three panels simultaneously. It can be folded in such a way that the main display faces either of the smaller displays when folded or all three panels and flat on the surface when the device is unfolded.
All three panels are supported by a single hinge, allowing the smartphone to fold and unfold smoothly. Reports also suggest that there could be multiple variants of this device.
Samsung says the innovative configuration would offer users a seamless and expansive smartphone viewing experience, reminiscent of the company’s Flex S technology that was showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show two years ago.
WIPO Approves Samsung’s Patent for Smartphone with a Rollable Display
Apart from the triple-display technology, Samsung also got a patent-approved by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for a smartphone with a cylindrical design and rollable display.
As per the documentation, the concept device will feature a display that can be retracted within an enclosure when it is closed and extended when opened to look like a slightly taller normal smartphone. Samsung describes the housing as “deformable” in the closed and opened state, allowing the device to deploy its display panels using hinges.
Illustrations of the retractable display show the panels detaching from its casing and stretching outwards to create a single sizable screen. Once fully expanded, the screen looks to be significantly larger than its initial state, and the entire device retracts back into its casing when closed, giving it a more compact appearance.
However, the documents do not clarify whether the rollable display was designed for a Samsung smartphone, tablet, or television.
These patents are yet another example showcasing Samsung’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of display technology. The company has not revealed any immediate plans to integrate these innovations into consumer electronics.
It is assumed that Samsung is currently focused on further refining its concepts to address performance and durability issues that are associated with foldable designs.
Samsung’s Troubles With Foldable Screens
In 2019, Samsung was forced to recall the first-generation Galaxy Fold after facing issues with the device’s foldable display. The problem came into view after certain users pealed a protective layer placed on top of the display, mistaking it for a screen guard, causing it to malfunction. Many users reported screen bulges that rendered half of the display useless.
As a result, the company initiated a worldwide recall and had to postpone the release date of the smartphone in the US, South Korea, and China.
Earlier this year, Samsung had to recall the Z Fold 4 and Flip 4 from 2022 after customers complained about the devices’ screens malfunctioning.
Z-Fold 6 and Z-Flip 6 Are Coming in July 2024
The Korean tech conglomerate is also gearing up for the launch of the Z-Flip 6 and Z-Fold 6 which is expected to arrive sometime around late July or early August 2024.
Leaks suggest that Samsung will be making a few design changes to the clamshell foldable smartphones. It is also rumored that the upcoming foldable smartphones will get a larger outer cover display, with the base variant powered by a Sangdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, 12GB of RAM, and a 3,700 mAh battery.
Moreover, the handsets will run on a special version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC that will be bespoke for Galaxy smartphones. The Z-Flip 6 is said to pack a larger 3.9-inch outer display and a 6.7-inch inner display. Additionally, the phones get Gorilla Glass Armor screen coating, an improved hinge, and an internal layout with a larger cooling system.
Galaxy AI, the on-device generative AI model launched by Samsung, is also coming to the Z-fold 6 and Z-Flip 6.
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