Samsung Banking On Foldable Phone Revolution, Patent Published

Samsung is starting its way towards recovery after the disaster that was the Galaxy Note 7 explosions. It recently published a patent involving a smartphone that can be folded down the middle. Could this be the company’s bet on the next revolution in handheld devices?

There have been reports that the South Korean smartphone maker is set to release a bendable smartphone by 2017, CNET reports. There is no clear link between the rumored device and the one that the patent refers to, however, but the likelihood that they are one and the same is high.

A lot of analysts are looking at the concept of a foldable smartphone with optimism, largely because of the benefits that such a device would come with. There’s the obvious portability advantage, where it will occupy less vertical space, and using a smartphone that bends around a user’s cheeks could also make calls more comfortable.

This is basically a culmination of years of teasing by Samsung, which has been playing around with the concept of a fully functional smart device that has a screen that bends. The company has been releasing test footage and exhibits of its foldable technology for years, but no concrete product was ever released.

The concept of a foldable smartphone also harkens back to the days of flip phones, BGR reports. Before Apple brought the original iPhone to the market, phones that could open and close with a flick of the wrist was all the rage. If the technology behind the patented smartphone ideas comes through, Samsung could be bringing those days back.

The most notable feature of the smartphone’s design is the series of flexible gills on the middle, which will separate in order to reduce surface tension. The device will also have a hinge and an incredibly flexible display.

Right now, it’s not clear whether the smartphone will allow users to bend it every which way they like. Even so, the prospect seems promising.