LG has filed for a patent with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for not one, but two different foldable smartphone designs. Neither of these are going to set the world on fire, but they do show a greater amount of attention being placed on the technology.
LG’s first patent folds along the long side rather on the shorter end. It turns into a sort of clamshell style device; functioning like a smartphone while folded and like a tablet when opened up. There also appears to be a tertiary display available to show the time while the phone is folded away.
The other design also folds along the same axis, but this time creating an asymmetrical design that leaves part of the display peeking out of the side. This could be similar to LG’s secondary display on the V20, and allow information to be displayed while the rest of the display is kept turned off.
Patent filings don’t always directly translate into products. Companies occasionally file for them simply to prevent others from being able to work on the same idea first. That said, many tech companies have been spotted trying to get patents for folding devices. Which indicates that there is some chance that the design will be the involved in the race for market share at some point.
(Source: WIPO via PhoneArena)
