Samsung has recently been awarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office with a patent of a foldable tablet with a keyboard and built-in stand. The said patent shows off a tablet with three foldable segments.
According to reports, the patent that Samsung has successfully obtained is most likely intended for a foldable tablet and not for a foldable smartphone that many rumors have previously claimed. Although the images that are currently circulating on the internet might not be that clear to most Samsung tablet enthusiasts, it definitely looks like a tablet since the size of the screen becomes relatively larger when the three foldable segments are fully opened.
In addition to that, the images obtained from the USPTO reveal that the upcoming foldable tablet from Samsung comes with a stand that is located at the middle part of the tablet's back. The stand is most likely to be integrated into the design and will prove to be very helpful when watching a movie using the device.
The newly patented foldable tablet design from Samsung also comes with a built-in keyboard found at one of the side panels of the device and can be conveniently flipped when the user needs to type. It can also be folded to one-third of its size when portability is needed. Not only that, the design is also expected to allow users to use the device using a single hand.
Unfortunately, the patent listing only offers the design concept of the device. It does not provide information regarding the materials that Samsung will use on the product as well as hints about the possible internal hardware and the software features that the device will have.
But despite the limited available information, a lot of Samsung enthusiasts were delighted with the news regarding the patent since it shows that the company is serious with its plans to come up with a foldable tablet in the future, given that they have taken all the necessary steps to secure a patent and safeguard the design that they intend to use in the upcoming product.
However, for a number of tech observers, the patent secured does not guarantee that the foldable tablet will see the light of day and roll out of the company's production line. Remember that Samsung has previously failed to release a foldable smartphone model despite the teasers and efforts exerted for such in the past. But if it does, the iPad Pro might just have to step up, too.
Photo: Hernán Piñera | Flickr
