In mid-June 2021, Samsung Electronics submitted an electronic device patent application to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and officially announced it to the outside world the day before Christmas Eve.
According to the 42-page document content, the company is planning to build a triple-folding smartphone with double hinges. In addition, in order to fold into a zigzag shape, Samsung has also equipped this concept device with two different types of hinges: inside fold + outside fold.
In the fully extended state, the user can obtain a tablet-sized display and touch interaction area. In addition to improving work efficiency, it can also give a more shocking gaming/audiovisual experience. In the most compact folding storage state, the front of the device (width × height) is almost the same as that of an ordinary smartphone, but the Z axis is significantly heavier.
In fact, as early as May of this year, Samsung Display has already demonstrated a prototype of the Galaxy S-Foldable folding screen smartphone with dual hinges (foldable inward + outward). Three months later, the company showed the same prototype again. Although there are some differences in the details, it still reflects the relevant patented design as a whole.
The main difference lies in the location of the camera. In the Samsung Display prototype, the camera module was placed on the side of the flexible screen. However, Samsung Electronics seems to be planning to introduce a triple rear camera similar to the Galaxy Z Fold3 on the back of the fuselage.
In order to facilitate selfies through the main camera, we also saw a secondary display. For users of Mi 11 Ultra, this should not be unfamiliar. Unfortunately, Samsung did not describe its location and size in detail in the document.
As for the front camera, the patent puts it under the flexible screen in the first display area of the screen, which means that it can be used in a folded or fully unfolded state like the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Although there is still much room for improvement in the hidden camera under the 4MP screen, Samsung will obviously continue to improve this technology. However, it is relatively simpler to put a small screen directly next to the rear main camera.
What surprises us most is the fingerprint sensor-equipped under the flexible folding screen. Because in the commercially available equipment, manufacturers mostly adopt fingerprint sensor solutions integrated with the power button on the side of the fuselage.
What’s interesting is that in addition to being compatible with S Pen, this folding screen smartphone can also be connected to peripherals such as a keyboard, mouse, microphone, and so on, and an HDMI video output/audio connector/SD card slot is added to the USB-C port.
Finally, in order to ensure the battery life of the folding screen smartphone, the patent envisages that it has two built-in batteries (similar to the commercially available Galaxy Z device). As for the antenna, considering the existence of the hinge, two are located in the first/third part of the housing.