The next big thing in smartphones? Foldable screens. Samsung is doing it. As is Huawei.
Now, LG might also be joining the impending trend that'll truly revolutionize mobile design, with new reports saying the company is developing a flexible smartphone that can be folded in half.
A patent from LG has just surfaced showing what appears to be a phone that can be folded vertically. This is remarkable because so far, all foldable concepts have shown phones that are folded horizontally.
LG Patents Unique Foldable Smartphone Design
The patent, obtained by LetsGoDigital, illustrates a new hinge mechanism that allows the display to be folded at certain angles, and at the same time prevents it from shattering.
There are two magnets inserted in the bezels of the screen to hold the form in place when folded. The illustrations show a phone that highly resembles flip phones of yesteryear, complete with an automatic display on or off feature when the device is unfolded or folded, respectively.
Such a form factor requires complex engineering, and LG's solution puts two antennas, two speakers, and two microphones under the display, one each for the top and bottom sections. As for the selfie camera, LG might integrate it under the display just so it can create a truly bezel-less design.
It's unclear when LG plans to launch such a device, but it needs to hurry up if it wants to be first — Samsung is apparently launching its first foldable smartphone next year, which will inevitably earn raves from the smartphone community provided the device works as promised.
For now, there are a lot of potential pitfalls for a design like this, given the fact that there's never been one quite like it. It's clear, however, that those foldable smartphones are the next innovation manufacturers are striving toward and hopefully, it doesn't end up being a fad like 3D TVs.
Don't Get Excited Yet, Though
It should be noted that patents shouldn't be taken as confirmation of a company's plans, though. More often than not, patents act as preemptive legal efforts to make sure that another company will face penalties if it tries to copy patented assets or designs.
It's entirely possible LG filed this patent with no intention of ever developing it into a real, commercial product. That being said, we can dream, can't we?
Thoughts on LG's foldable smartphone implementation? Do you think a foldable design the next innovation for smartphones? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
