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Samsung patents 'foldable' phone

Lauren Kate Rawlins
By Lauren Kate Rawlins, ITWeb digital and innovation contributor.
Johannesburg, 11 Sep 2015
The patent, filed by Samsung, shows the company may be working on developing a foldable smartphone. (Source: Patently Mobile)
The patent, filed by Samsung, shows the company may be working on developing a foldable smartphone. (Source: Patently Mobile)

Samsung has shown keen interest in developing a bendable device by filing numerous patents for 'foldable' technology.

The imagined smartphone device, for the latest patent, would have a flexible OLED display with a folding mechanism under the display, according to Patent Mobile.

"Filing patents points to something that may or may not come to market in many years' time," says Arthur Goldstuck, World Wide Worx MD.

"There have been many bendable, foldable and wearable devices from many companies over the last few years but none have come to market yet. Samsung has not patented the idea, but a specific technology. Patents at this point are just experimental and speculative."

In 2013, the Wall Street Journal reported Samsung showed investors foldable mobile prototypes during an analyst conference. The publication quoted Samsung chief executive Kwon Oh-hyun as saying "foldable displays" would be presented in 2015.

Goldstuck said the design of Samsung's Galaxy S6 Edge was one of the most significant shifts in the mobile market this year. "However, right now Samsung is just covering all bases with patents - but who knows; maybe they will surprise us in the near future."

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