Multiple rumors regarding foldable devices by Samsung and LG that may launch in the second half of 2017 have been surfacing online.
Now according to reports, LG has been awarded a patent by the USPTO for a "Mobile Phone" which features a new outlook that allows the upper part of the handset to be folded.
The patent application for the foldable smartphone was filed by LG on Jan. 27, 2015. However, it was granted on Jan. 10, 2017.
In 2013, LG as well as Samsung forayed into the foldable devices space when each released a handset with a little noticeable curve. The LG G Flex has a curve on the top and bottom and did well in the market, leading the company to take out its successor.
In 2016, at the Lenovo Tech World in June, LG gave a peek into what its foldable devices could look like. At the event, YouTuber Meghan McCarthy folded a tablet into a phablet-sized phone holding it up to her ear.
This suggested that LG had a novel convertible device in the works which could double up as a tablet and snap back to become a smartphone.
What Are The Features?
Based on the sketches of the rumored upcoming LG foldable smartphone from the USPTO, the upper part of the LG handset may be foldable. According to the patent, the handset will fold vertically, giving the device a phablet-like experience when unfolded. The LG device would also pack in a touchscreen display on both the sides, with the middle bar showing the notifications or music control.
The LG device will supposedly feature a fingerprint scanner, camera, and power button which would be housed next to the "additional display." Still based on the patent, the device could be folded like a tent, which would be pretty convenient while watching movies or TV shows on the handset.
As reported earlier, market research firm Strategy Analytics has forecasted that the foldable smartphone market would increase from 2.7 million units in 2017 to 163 million units by 2022.
Advantages Of A Foldable Device?
The onset of foldable smartphones will likely usher in a new era of mobile devices that are portable and convertible. The portable handsets may be a tad bit heftier than the current-gen handsets.
It has been reported that the technology of foldable smartphones is expected to be far more advanced in the case of LG since it has been working on the fold-out technology, as opposed to the fold-in concept, for the past couple of years.
LG is also anticipated to roll out over 100,000 foldable devices in the fourth quarter of 2017. However, LG would not keep the fold-out technology to itself. It has been rumored that the company may collaborate with Huawei and Apple for the advancement of the technology.
Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns | Flickr
