There are rumors that Samsung is working on a smartphone that can fold up. This action is reportedly an attempt to overtake Huawei, which in September unveiled the Mate XT Ultimate Design, the world’s first tri-fold smartphone. Samsung has received a patent for a flexible display device with a folding design that has three displays and a specialized barrier layer for increased endurance and less strain, ahead of its expected 2025 launch.
Samsung Patent for Tri-Fold Smartphone
A flexible form factor display device is described in a patent awarded to Samsung Electronics by the US Patent and Trademark Office (via MSPoweruser). Samsung submitted it in 2021, and on November 5 it was approved. This alleged device is depicted to contain three sections: a first area that is folded, a second area that may be folded and unfolded, and a third area oriented along a certain direction. This is in contrast to rigid devices that have a dedicated screen area for displaying images.
The device will have a specialized barrier layer behind the display panel, according to the patent. This layer is claimed to have two lower plates positioned beneath the panel that overlap all three regions, as well as at least one opening that may overlap the second display area. Additionally, an anti-reflective layer such to that seen on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra may be incorporated into the display panel.
The document may be referring to the same alleged tri-fold smartphone that Samsung is rumored to be creating, despite the fact that it implies that the flexible display gadget may be able to be folded, bent, or deformed into different forms.
In addition to touch gestures, it is also rumored that the tri-fold smartphone would accept other input techniques. This implies that S-Pen support may potentially be included in the alleged device.
It is important to remember, nevertheless, that not all gadgets with issued patents reach the final stage of production or have the same components. Therefore, it is currently unknown if the technical features listed in the patent filing would be present in Samsung’s alleged tri-fold smartphone.
