In Q2 the US Patent & Trademark Office published two folding smartphone patent applications from Samsung that illustrate a wide array of foldable styled designs being considered beyond their first version known as the Galaxy Fold. This is supported by a recent report that we posted wherein a Senior Samsung VP hinted that their Next-Gen Smartphones would be led by Foldable Devices – as in plural.
Samsung Electronics clearly has an advantage over their competitors by owning their own display division. By pushing foldable smartphones at different price points and form factors, they're hoping to put a lot of pressure on their competition.
With that said, clearly Samsung's game plan suffered a major set-back when their first-gen 'Galaxy Fold' smartphone got off to a disastrous start when everyday use quickly led to torn screens and display issues.
While their CEO profusely apologized last week for putting out a product that was clearly not ready for prime time, the long delay in bringing it back to market along with its high price will probably hurt Samsung with dismal sales. Other than the elite, who will be willing to put hard earned money on a first-gen device that has proven to fail so quickly?
Set-backs aside, Samsung is plowing ahead at full steam with a possible full range of foldable devices in-the-works. Our report covers two patents with variable form factors.
Our report will primarily cover the patent figures, as Samsung's patents dive deeply into the mechanics of hinges and folding systems that don't make for a fun read.
Below you'll find FIG. 22 where Samsung describes playing games with virtual controls on a 2-Display device that is foldable. "If the user runs a game application, then a game screen may be implemented on the first touchscreen display #112, and game control keys I1 and I2 may be implemented on the second touchscreen display #132. That is, the user may comfortably manipulate the game control keys I1 and I2 on the second touchscreen display while viewing the game screen in a broader area on the first second display.
If running a word processor, the second display could provide a virtual keyboard and view the content on the broader area in the first display.
Samsung's Second Folding Smartphone Patent
Some of the patent figures in this next round of patent figures are interesting. One patent figure shows a smaller camera hole to take up less space for a Galaxy-Fold like form factor. Another design is for a clamshell or flip phone style foldable phone. Other patent figures will illustrate a large single display that is foldable like the current Galaxy Fold while others illustrate 2 separate displays geared more for the multitaskers among us.
Both of Samsung's patent applications that were published by the U.S. Patent Office in Q2 2019 were filed in the U.S. in 2018 and in S. Korea one year earlier.
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