Tag: foldable phone

LG Patents Two Foldable Smartphones That Are Reminiscent of Galaxy Fold And Mate X

In the month of February, the Korean electronics giant, Samsung unveiled its first foldable smartphone which is dubbed the Galaxy Fold. Following its launch, Huawei also unveiled it variant of a foldable device, the Mate X. Unfortunately commercial availability of both the handsets has been pushed back to September(1,2).

LG Foldable Phone- Variant A

By the time these two handsets make a comeback, they won’t just be competing with each other. According to freshly granted patents, LG, Korea’s second-largest smartphone manufacturer is also developing multiple foldable handsets which may launch in time with Samsung and Huawei’s offering.

Surprisingly, the foldable phones that the patent exhibit are highly reminiscent of the Galaxy Fold and the Mate X.

The first LG smartphone folds on the outside have dual display, out of which, one is present on the cover (outside) while the second is present on the inside. It features a triple rear camera setup which is accompanied by an LED Flash.

LG Foldable Phone- Variant B

The second LG smartphone from the patent has a single large-screen display which folds on the outside. The design is similar to the ‘falcon wing’ which has been coined by Huawei. Besides, the position of camera sensors is also similar to Mate X.

Unfortunately, none of the patents reveals any specifications of the LG smartphones. Nevertheless, the devices if finalised for production and sale will pack top of the line specifications including chipset, camera and display.

Also Read: Steps To Get The Fnatic Easter Egg On OnePlus Smartphones

As of now, the details about the launch of such LG handsets is unavailable. But, the company can reverse engineer Samsung and Huawei’s offering. Therefore, it won’t be as hard to make them.

Though we will have to wait patiently until LG shines some light on its plans of a foldable device.

August 14, 2019
Samsung Is Working On An Ingenious Foldable Phone Claims Patent

Late last month, the Korean Electronics giant, Samsung launched its first foldable smartphone called the Galaxy Fold. The device has an unconventional design with a large foldable inner display and a primary cover display. Soon after the launch of the Galaxy Fold, Huawei launched its first foldable smartphone that carries the Mate X moniker. The key difference between the two newly launched devices is the type of foldable display. The Samsung Galaxy Fold has an inner folding display while the Mate X has an outward folding display which the company refers as a falcon wing design. A freshly granted patent to Samsung proposes that the company is working on another foldable phone with an ingenious design. The patent also raises the question of whether the device is a successor to the Galaxy Fold or an entirely different smartphone.

Patent Disclosures

Samsung filed the patent for the aforementioned foldable smartphone with WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) on the 21st September 2018 which it was granted on the 4th of January 2019. The front of the device houses a large screen foldable display which is stabilised via a complex spring-loaded mechanism. The left and right halves of the foldable device are consolidated with the help of a flexible material which conceals the previously mentioned mechanism.

The spring that drives the mechanism stays in a rested position when the device is in its folded state. However, to maintain a flat unfolded state the user must turn a small latch at the rear of the device which tenses the spring to present a smooth and wrinkle-free display. As the display of the device from the patent stays exposed it is highly susceptible to scratches and scuffs. Therefore, the company is also expected to develop a protective case for the device. Surprisingly, the patent does not exhibit any camera sensor on the front or the rear of the device. Any details about the specifications of the foldable smartphone are currently unavailable. We will have to wait for the company to spread some light on the foldable smartphone from the freshly granted patent.

Is It The Galaxy Fold 2?

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The answer to this question is not certain, however, presumably the freshly patented device will co-exist alongside the Galaxy Fold. The market for foldable phones has just started to bloom and Samsung being a leader would want to take full advantage of the market that is soon expected to explode. Accordingly, the company is likely to launch several foldable phones with disparate sizes and forms to examine the choices of the consumers.

March 11, 2019
The Upcoming Samsung Foldable Smartphone Will Have Dual Batteries
Samsung is expected to launch its first foldable smartphone in Q1 of 2019. The company had previously showcased a working prototype of the device with two screens. Having a smartphone with two displays have growing concerns about its battery backup. A report claims that the upcoming Galaxy foldable smartphone allegedly called the Galaxy F will not only have dual displays but it will also have dual batteries.

Need For Two Separate Batteries

The claim regarding the Galaxy F aka Galaxy Fold having dual batteries was made by a Dutch website, Galaxyclub. According to the source, the upcoming foldable device from Samsung will have two batteries each with a capacity of 3100 mAh, resulting in a total battery capacity of 6200 mAh.

The display of any smartphone is one of its most power consuming components. Apparently, the dual 4.5-inch and 7.3-inch displays will be the biggest battery consumers on the Galaxy F as well. The source adds that opting for dual batteries on the device is a necessity and not a choice.

The two 3,100 mAh batteries make it easier to accommodate a large battery in a device with a foldable form factor. Similarly, the dual display ZTE Axon M’s battery life was cut in half when both the displays were simultaneously used. Moreover, the factor Galaxy Fold that is capable of displaying three apps at once is another reason for concern.

Galaxy S10 5G Will Have A 5000 mAh Battery

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Besides the dual battery revelation on the Galaxy Fold, the source claims that the 5G variant of the Galaxy S10 will have a massive 5,000 mAh battery. In addition to the foldable device, Samsung is also bracing up for the launch of the Galaxy S10 series of smartphones that will succeed the current S9 and S9+ lineup. The company is expected to launch four variants of the Samsung Galaxy S10 which are as follows:
- Entry Level – Galaxy S10 Lite
- Flagship Level – Galaxy S10
- Flagship Level With Bigger Battery And Display – Galaxy S10 Plus
- 5G Technology Compatible – Galaxy S10 5G
January 12, 2019
LG Is Developing An Outward Folding Smartphone

LG seems to be gearing up for an exciting 2019. Ever since the inception of smartphones, the form factor has largely remained the same. The year 2019 is expected to showcase smartphones with new form factors. A patent assigned to LG states that the company is developing a unique looking foldable smartphone.

Foldable LG Smartphone

LG had filed a patent for a foldable smartphone with WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) and USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) that has now been granted. In the past, several LG foldable smartphone patents have leaked but the latest patent has a totally different folding style. The new patent reveals an LG smartphone that folds on the outwards vs inwards or rolling.

Samsung has also showcased the Galaxy F smartphone that has an inward folding display. It seems LG wants to leave no stone unturned and is trying to experiment with as many types of foldable devices. The LG patent is detailed enough and clearly explains how LG conceptualises an outward folding smartphone

Patent Revelations

The outward folding LG device looks like two symmetrically stacked smartphones that have been consolidated by a flexible touchscreen display. The left part of the device conceals a spring operated mechanism that elongates when the smartphone is unfolded outwards. This elongation of the left part allows the foldable display to stay tight and wrinkle-free.

The device when unfolded transforms into a tablet with a widescreen display. When in tablet mode the UI of the device also adjusts automatically for easy operability. The middle of the display acts as the main navigation bar that has a swipeable list of icons for applications. The device can simultaneously display two different applications on either halves or a single application as per the need.

Launch Date

Also Read: LG Will Launch A Smartwatch With An Inband Camera

The launch date of the outward folding LG smartphone is unknown but the company might showcase some type of foldable smartphone at the upcoming MWC which is scheduled for 25-28 January 2019.

January 4, 2019
Xiaomi Foldable Tablet / Phone Leaks, With Triple Folds

Xiaomi was founded in the year 2010 and during this 8-9 year period the company has developed several successful products . The company manufactures a wide variety of products ranging from smartphones to TVs. Strangely enough, the company even manufactures luggage trollies and mobility scooters, among many other everyday items. Though the largest contributor to overall revenue for Xiaomi still remains smartphones.

The year 2019 is believed to be the year of smart devices with flexible displays that can be used as both a tablet and a smartphone. Samsung has already announced that the first foldable Galaxy phone will be launched this year. Similarly, Huawei also has big plans for a foldable smartphone in the year 2019. A video leak reveals that Xiaomi already has a functional foldable device.

Foldable Xiaomi Device

Can't speak to the authenticity of this video or device, but it's allegedly made by Xiaomi, I'm told. Hot new phone, or gadget porn deepfake? pic.twitter.com/qwFogWiE2F
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) January 3, 2019

The leaked video of the alleged foldable Xiaomi device is leaked on Twitter by Evan Blass aka evleaks. The video showcases a foldable tablet that can fold into one third than its original size. The video has been captured in a badly lit environment and the Xiaomi branding was nowhere to be seen in the video. However, the User Interface and the icon pack on the device clearly express that the device runs on Xiaomi’s MIUI 10.

Surprisingly the quality of the foldable display panel looks good and the device when folded transforms into a handheld smartphone. The user demonstrates the Google maps application on the foldable tablet / phone which readjusts when the tablet is folded. The device when in its folded state has curved edges that look reminiscent to the non-foldable Samsung Galaxy Edge smartphones. Like Samsung smartphones, Xiaomi might add some functionality to the curved edges of the foldable device.

Launch Date

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy A50 And Galaxy Fold

The launch date of the foldable Xiaomi device is yet unknown. Though the device appears to be quite mature and fully developed. Xiaomi can likely unveil the device at the upcoming MWC 2019 which is scheduled for 25-28 February. Most notably Samsung is also expected to launch the first foldable smartphone in Q1 of 2019 and Xiaomi being their direct competitor might be planning something similar.

January 4, 2019
ZTE Files Patent For Foldable Phone

ZTE is a Chinese company that manufactures smartphones and telecommunication equipment. The company has filed a patent for a smartphone with a foldable style display. The smartphone in the patent unfolds into a large screen tablet. The patent clearly explains how the folding hinge of the smartphone will operate.

The Patent

The ZTE device in the patent serves the functionality of both a smartphone and a tablet. The front of the ZTE device has a high-screen-to-body ratio display with thin bezels on the left and right side. However, the top and bottom bezels are quite prominent. The top bezel of the smartphone houses the earpiece speaker, front-facing camera and an additional hole which will most likely house the ambient light sensor. The top and bottom sides of the smartphone also have two lines for the antenna bands. The right side of the ZTE device houses the power button and the volume rockers

The rear of the ZTE device has dual rear cameras along with LED flash and a fingerprint sensor for securely unlocking the device. The bottom of the smartphone has a microphone pinhole, USB Type-C slot and bottom firing speakers. Additionally, the top of the device also has the speaker grille. The ZTE device has a curved hinge which seems to have circular magnetic strips. Most notably, the hinge on the device when unfolded lays completely flat on a surface. The device when unfolded transforms into a tablet which will allow the users to enjoy video content on a larger screen.

Launch Date

ZTE has not announced the launch date of this device. But, the sheer number of details suggest that the company is working on something serious. The company might showcase such a device at the upcoming MWC 2019 which is scheduled for 25-29 February.

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December 25, 2018
Samsung Patents Design For Folding Phone With Dual Displays

Samsung has been on a patent-filing spree recently. From in-display cameras to an entire display which doubles up as the fingerprint scanner, they’ve got it all covered. Recently, one of Samsung’s long pending designs, that of the folding phone. The folding phone was shown by the company at the Samsung Developer Conference held earlier this month and the device is expected to enter production in the early parts of next year. Now, Samsung has patented a folding dual display smartphone, quite different form the existing foldable phone.

The patent for this new phone was filed early this year, in May. It has now been published and describes a smartphone with two separate housings. Each of these have an almost full-sized display. While the design of the foldable was shown, it has many variations compared to this patent. The new patent lists two full sized screens which work independently. The foldable phone can either be used as a smartphone when folded or as a tablet when opened fully. Android is also developing a separate OS for the device, to help support it better.

The Patent

The two display housings are independent of each other and area pulls together by the means of a magnet. You can also fold the device in a way to have both the displays facing outside. The patent describes the phone to be extremely versatile in terms of functionality and lists some of its functions. Data such as the time, status bar, battery and signal strength are shown on the left display. You can also use this screen to display a keyboard, while the content is shown on the other display of the phone.

The smartphone also has two cameras. Additionally, a camera, flash and speaker are also placed on the front of the phone. The display on the left also has a camera, lighting sensor and a proximity sensor. Additionally, the phone will also have an audio jack which will be placed on either the top or the bottom of the phone. The volume and power buttons are placed on the right side of the display.

Also Read : Lenovo Z5s Hands On Images Reveal Camera Cutout In The Centre

While the concept is pretty impressive, we are not sure whether this phone will make it into production. It is however possible that Samsung may take some cues from this and apply it to their other phones.

November 30, 2018
LG Registers Trademark For Three Foldable Phones

With the race to launch foldable smartphones underway, LG has also made its first definitive move to join the same. Earlier, a Chinese company, Rouyu had revealed its folding smartphone and Samsung announced its folding phone earlier this month. Now, LG has requested trademarks for three names, which are Flex, Foldi and Duplex. From the names, it is obvious that these belong to foldable phones and nothing else.

Folding Smartphones

Reports about LG showcasing its folding phone at the upcoming CES 2019 and been doing rounds for a long time. Finally, it seems like this device from LG will become a reality as the company has applied for these trademarks. This was done at the European Union Intellectual Property Office. What is more noteworthy is the fact that the application also includes the fact that the devices fall under Class 9. Class 9 also includes smartphones and is different from the ‘display for smartphones’ category. A display for smartphones category would have meant that this is just a prototype for a display, but Class 9 confirmed the fact that this is intact for a smartphone.

While the company has applied for trademarks for three names, it is still not clear whether they are working on three devices. It is a high possibility that they are just developing a single phone and will choose out of the three names in the end.

Earlier, patents for the foldable phones from LG had popped up, each showing different design. This included a device with a double display. The double display smartphone could be the ‘Duplex’ mentioned before. On the other hand, Flex and Foldi seem like names that would be used for a folding smartphone. Whether they are two different devices or just options to name the same devices, will be seen.

Also Read : Redmi Note 6 Pro With Dual Front Cameras Launched In India

LG’s addition to the folding phone race makes it even more exciting. Recently, Android had announced support for folding displays through its new UI. All these new innovations have us all excited about the future of mobile technology.

November 22, 2018
A ‘Concept Video’ Of The Samsung Galaxy F Surfaces

Foldable phones have been rumored for years and finally, Samsung showcased a working prototype of one such device in their developer’s conference. The device will most probably be called the Samsung Galaxy F, owing to its foldable screen. Recently, in an interview with Yonhapnews (a South Korean news agency), Samsung said that the Galaxy F will be commercially available in the first half of 2019.

The company also claims to sell at least 1 million units of the foldable phone within the first year of its launch. According to sources, the smartphone will have a hefty price tag of $ 1,770 (around 2 million Korean Won). Any technical specification except the screen size of the Galaxy F is currently unavailable. Recently, a YouTube channel with the username ‘Concept Creator’ has shared a concept video of the foldable Galaxy F.

Galaxy F Concept

The concept video shows a smartphone that folds out into a sleek looking tablet. The tablet mode has a 4.2:3 aspect ratio, edge-to-edge display with rounded corners and negligible bezels. In the smartphone mode, it has a smaller, 4.3-inch infinity display with thick top and bottom bezels. The front-facing selfie camera is present on the top bezel of the phone. The device has a clamshell style curved hinge that gives it the folding capabilities.

The power button & volume rockers are placed on the left side when the device is in phone mode. The Galaxy F concept also has a USB Type-C port, 3.5 mm headphone jack & dual bottom firing speakers. Additionally, the device also has dual rear cameras along with an LED flash and unidentified sensor.

Also Read: Foldable Samsung Phone Will Launch In First Half of 2019

Albeit, the video is a fan-made concept. But it does looks amazing & we hope that the final product resembles the same. If Samsung is actually able to pull off something like this, it will help the tech giant further strengthen its roots in the smartphone market. Again, it must be kept in mind that this is just a fan-made concept and the real device may not be the same.

November 13, 2018
Foldable Samsung Phone Will Launch In First Half of 2019

Lately, Samsung has been in the news because of their smartphone with a foldable display. The company gave a glimpse of the foldable phone recently at their Developer Conference held in San Francisco. The president of Samsung Mobile division, DJ Koh in a press briefing said that the foldable phone will be available within the first half of the next year. Additionally, he also claimed that Samsung plans to sell at least 1 million foldable phones in 2019.

Yonhapnews, a South Korean news agency suggests that Samsung will launch the Galaxy S10 flagship smartphone in February next year. This will be followed by the foldable phone. The foldable phone, allegedly called the Galaxy F will launch in March along with a 5G variant of the Galaxy S10. Presumably, the foldable Galaxy F will not support 5G connectivity.

Reports also profess that the company will showcase a working prototype of the Galaxy F smartphone at MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2019. The South Korean news agency also claims that the smartphone will cost $ 1,770 (around Rs 1,29,024 ). The steep price of the smartphone indicates that it might not be a mass market handset.

Galaxy F Features

The biggest highlight of the Galaxy F will definitely be its foldable display. Samsung says that the new smartphone will have a 4.6-inch display in regular mode and a 7.4-inch screen when unfolded. The foldable smartphone will also support Android Q’s continuity feature. It means when a user is running an app on a foldable device, it will seamlessly transfer between the two screen layouts. Which are the smaller, smartphone-like folded screen, and the larger, tablet-style experience when it is unfolded.

Also Read: Android Q Will Have Multi-Resume Support For Apps

Any more technical specifications about the smartphone are currently unavailable. But, Samsung will hopefully launch it in Q1 of 2019 and make all the specifications and features official.

November 12, 2018