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Samsung has pioneered the foldable display technology, as we’ve seen with the Galaxy Z Fold and the Z Flip series so far. The Korean manufacturer is also working on a couple of new display formats to optimize efficiency. We’re now getting a closer look at one such concept reportedly joining Samsung’s Z series of foldables, courtesy of a new patent application approved by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
The folks over at LetsGoDigital glanced over the Samsung patent and commissioned high-quality renders with the assistance of graphic designer Jermaine Smit aka Concept Creator. It’s too early to speculate what the finished product will look like. But these renders give us a decent idea of the display’s functioning.
This unique display format could come in handy for PiP or video calls
As you can see from the patent filing below, the display has a distinct L-shape when unfolded. But when it is folded, the screen wraps around the rear panel, nearly touching the camera sensors. It seems like the display can remain operational even when it is wrapped around the rear panel.
Patent documentation reveals that the device utilizes UTG (Ultra Thin Glass) in its making. We’ve already seen this tech with the existing lot of Samsung foldables. There’s also mention of the additional display real estate being used for picture-in-picture (PiP) mode. It could also be useful during video calls.
It’s hard to imagine a scenario where a display shaped like this could be useful. Keeping this in mind, this concept likely won’t see the light of the day. Regardless, these creations show that Samsung is eager to stay on top of the flexible display market. Successors for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3 are also on the horizon. Meanwhile, companies like OPPO, Honor, Huawei, and Xiaomi are also developing foldables.
As per a recent report by Canalys, sales of foldable phones will continue to grow over the next few years. “The key catalyst for foldable smartphones has been the booming use of large-screen devices during the pandemic,” Research Analyst, Runar Bjørhovde, said. These factors are undoubtedly accelerating Samsung’s development of new display formats, even if some of them won’t make the final cut.
