Samsung has filed a patent application that shows a rollable display technology that can be used in different form factors to provide a diverse set of interfaces. The new patent comes after the South Korean tech giant was granted patents for rollable and triple display technologies in March. While the app only mentions that the display will be used for “electronic devices,” the images illustrated show a foldable phone, highlighting that it could be used for a future Galaxy Z Flip phone.
Samsung files a patent application for a flexible display
The patent was first spotted by The Nerd Stash in collaboration with whistleblower David Kowalski of xleaks7. The patent was filed on June 18 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the applicant's name was mentioned as Samsung Electronics. The patent describes a flexible display with three different casing mechanisms.
Illustration of Samsung's flexible display patent
Photo credit: The Nerd Dash/Samsung
According to the illustrations shared in the patent application, the display can be configured in three different ways, which are called “housings”. The first shell is a fully extended unfolded view, where the rollable display appears on the front of the device and expands to provide a larger screen.
In the second case, the extended part, which appears near the top of the frame, can be folded to create a more compact candy bar form factor. In the third case, the screen folds in half to appear on both the front and back of the device. Based on the illustrations, both sides of the device appear to be functional.
The camera modules are placed in the frame of the phone. They appear at the top of the device both in the folded and unfolded state. The company also highlighted how the three states can be used to display different applications and interfaces.
Samsung said the slow influx of flexible displays into the market has created competition to develop devices that can transform into various shapes and offer greater portability. The company emphasized that one of the main advantages of this display technology will be that the three housing states work independently of each other and can be configured in a combination of folding and sliding operations to create various shapes . Each form will then offer a different interface and experience.
It should be noted that a patent application is not confirmation of a device under development. Samsung may or may not unveil the design to the public in the coming years, even after the patent is granted.
