Samsung Z-Fold: Check out the incredible 3D Renders from LetsGoDigital.

At the end of 2018, the Samsung Display filed a patent in KIPO (Korean Intellectual Property Office) for one folding smartphone, type Z-Fold.

ΠAlthough the patent had already been approved by the end of May, we had to wait until 7 August 2019 prior to the publication of the patent in the Korean database, and it includes a total of 23 sketches.

It is a simple but very elegant and multifunctional device. The foldable phone is equipped with a large flexible screen with minimal hoops. With its expansion you have at your disposal a large tablet.

The smartphone has two foldable sections. One screen section that you can fold forward, and the other that folds backwards. Therefore, the name “Z-Fold", Refers to the Z-shaped device.

Once folded, you have a full screen device. As the device has a large flexible screen, the screen on the left also plays the role of the main screen. The other three sides show a small rim.

However, it is also possible to fold this phone in such a way that the middle part of the screen becomes the front screen. The other two parts of the screen fold backwards, which means that the device remains extremely compact. If you choose this folding style, then you have a screen on both sides and only a narrow rim at the top and bottom.

Flexible folding device

Do you need two screen sections? This is also possible. Just fold a screen backwards. Although the design patent does not provide any information about the operating options, you can assume that the (Functional) interface will be configured depending on how the device is folded.

The maximum screen size of this foldable device is 3x the width of a modern screen of a Smartphone. This makes it a very flexible device. You actually have a smartphone, tablet and a small computer - all in one. With the right material, it will therefore be an ideal device for multitasking, but of course also for watching a video or a movie.

Undoubtedly, attention will also be paid to the performance of the Games. Smartphones are increasingly used to play games. With its large screen, this device will be ideal for games.

There are no buttons or links visible on this model. In addition, there is no camera visible in the patent sketches. However, this does not mean anything, since the patent was filed by Samsung Display and not by Samsung Electronics. The focus of this patent is clearly on the double folding screen.

As technology evolves, Samsung Electronics will provide the necessary components needed to support all the possible functions of a modern Smartphone.

Nevertheless, you see a clear trend that imposes as few physical buttons and access ports as possible. Aesthetically this seems to be better. However, not everyone is equally positive about this development. After all, it remains to be seen whether this design practice will also be accepted as user-friendly.

In addition, there are more features hidden behind the screen. Like the fingerprint sensor, which is integrated behind the screen in more and more smartphone models. Also unveiled this year are the first smartphones with an in-screen speaker and the first camera phones below the screen that will likely appear next year. Of course it is possible for all these new technologies to be applied to this futuristic model as well.

Future Samsung foldable phones

At the moment this is a model we can only dream of. Such a folding device will definitely not be introduced in the coming years. For now, a simple screen fold is already a huge challenge, although the Xiaomi already showed a model model at MWC 2019 that could be folded twice. Both sides of this unit could be folded backwards. However, the Durability of flexible screens proved to be lower than expected.

Nevertheless, it seems to be a matter of time before folding phones become the new trend in the market. Definitely this kind of Smartphones offer a clear added value - if everything works properly and there are no problems like the ones that Samsung faced with its own proposal.

The patented Z-Fold model like Samsung is definitely a big contender for the future, and it is definitely one of the most interesting models we have come across over time.

Source