TL;DR
- The US Patent and Trademark Office has published a 25-page patent document discussing the design and other significant aspects of Samsung’s first tri-folding phone.
- The tri-folding screen also contains an anti-reflection layer to enhance the viewing experience.
After leading the global market for foldable phones for years, the Korean tech giant Samsung is shifting its focus toward a tri-fold smartphone. In 2024, several manufacturers have launched a tri-folding foldable, enabling users to fit a 10-inch tablet in their pocket, folded up like a regular smartphone. One of the first prototypes to show up was the Tecno’s Phantom Ultimate 2.
However, in September, Huawei became the first company to release a tri-folding smartphone to consumers in the form of the Mate XT. Meanwhile, other companies like Oppo and Xiaomi are also working on a triple-folding smartphone. In October, we reported that Samsung’s first tri-folding smartphone could arrive in 2025.
Also Read: Xiaomi Tri-Fold Smartphone Exclusive Details Revealed
Confirmed: Samsung Is Working On A Tri-Folding Smartphone
Now, the US Patent and Trademark Office has published a 25-page patent document discussing the design and other significant aspects of Samsung’s first tri-folding phone. Although the patent was filed in July 2021, the USPTO office published it in November 2024.
The patent shows the images of a screen that bends in three different places, dividing it into three equal parts. To increase the device’s durability, Samsung seems to have implemented some sort of a barrier layer that makes folding and unfolding the phone easier while simultaneously reducing the strain on the flexible screen.
Also Read: Huawei’s new tri-fold costs three times of iPhone 16 Pro
Samsung Introduces Barrier Layers For Increased Durability
“In case the display device 1000 is folded, the second device area 1002 may be folded about the first holding axis 1000FX4 defined above the uppermost surface 1000UM. Accordingly, the first device area 1001 and the third device area 1003 may face each other,” reads the patent.
It might seem a tad difficult to follow at first, but the patent discusses three different screen areas on the tri-folding phone, describing their movement, how they could face each other in different configurations, and how the barrier layer will help increase the device’s durability. With barrier layers, the phone’s design also contains several protective films and stainless steel plates.
Also Read: Oppo Tri-Fold Phone In The Works, Could Launch Next Year
The tri-folding screen also contains an anti-reflection layer to enhance the viewing experience. Moreover, the patent reveals how the company plans to make a robust and durable tri-folding smartphone to compete with the Chinese manufacturer’s models. As mentioned earlier, the expected release timeline will be sometime in 2025.
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