Samsung to launch its first foldable smartphone next year

Samsung seems to serious about launching a smartphone with a foldable display. According to a report by The Bell, the South Korean company has shared its plans to launch a foldable smartphone with some of the parts manufacturers. If the report is to be believed, the production will start in November this year.

These parts will only lay the foundation of the phone, instead of shaping up its design. The report cites an industry source as saying that this is because the company is yet to finalize the form factor of the smartphone. The source also said that Samsung is working on both outfolding and infolding versions of the phone and the final design will be ready by June.

It is also said that the number of parts ordered is smaller than what Samsung usually uses for its flagships. The Bell claims that the orders for this device are somewhere between 500,000 and 2,000,000 which suggests it would be a pilot project.

In March, Samsung also filed a patent for a smartphone display that expands when pulled from the sides. The smartphone might double as a tablet.

The new patent suggests that the system will comprise of three panels. Only the main display will be visible in the 'phone mode.' To expand the screen, users will have to grab the sides and pull the device outward. This will unroll two more display sitting on either side increasing the real estate.

When not in use, the other two display panels are hidden within the body of the device. Currently, this is just a patent and it's hard to determine how the device would work. Tucking three display panels in a phone will make the device thicker.

Talking of patents, the company also filed for a patent with the US Patent and Trademark Office that comes under patent number US D813,864 S 'Wearable Electronic Device' that appears to be a wearable with that will have an ability to extend its display. More precisely, it will feature a rectangular display that will extend to double the size of the frame.

How to use Google Maps without Internet

Well, this goes without saying that not all patents make it to the production stage. But it will be interesting to see if Samsung manages to bring these patents to life, changing the current candy bar form factor of the smartphones.