Samsung's New "Z-Foldable" Screen Patent Revealed: Dual-Hinge Design, Expected High Price

Samsung's New "Z-Foldable" Screen Patent Revealed: Dual-Hinge Design, Expected High PriceOn March 19th, tech media outlet 91Mobile reported that Samsung Display has been granted a patent for a novel "Z-foldable" screen. This patent showcases an innovative dual-hinge design allowing the screen to fold twice, ultimately forming a compact Z-shape

Samsung's New "Z-Foldable" Screen Patent Revealed: Dual-Hinge Design, Expected High Price

On March 19th, tech media outlet 91Mobile reported that Samsung Display has been granted a patent for a novel "Z-foldable" screen. This patent showcases an innovative dual-hinge design allowing the screen to fold twice, ultimately forming a compact Z-shape. This design cleverly combines the advantages of existing foldable phones while overcoming limitations of traditional folding methods, opening new possibilities for future foldable phone designs.

According to the patent description, the Z-foldable phone's folding mechanism is similar to the Galaxy Z Flip, but with two hinges enabling a double fold. When fully folded, the phone adopts a unique Z-shape, with the screen still visible externally, allowing users to check notifications or perform quick actions. This differs from current foldable phones which typically hide the screen completely when folded, displaying no information.

Patent images show a rectangular screen in the unfolded state, featuring extremely narrow bezels on the long sides for a larger display area and a more immersive viewing experience. The shorter sides retain thicker bezels, likely to accommodate necessary components such as cameras or speakers. The images clearly show three sets of openings on one side, likely camera and speaker apertures. This design demonstrates Samsung's consideration of both aesthetics and practicality.

Regarding interfaces, the patent describes a standard USB-C port and side-mounted physical buttons. However, the patent doesn't detail the specific functions or interactions of these buttons. This suggests Samsung is still refining the final interaction design to ensure optimal user experience.

Notably, Samsung explicitly states in the patent document that this design is for "design appearance." This means the patent primarily protects the phone's exterior design, not its internal technology or functionalities. This also hints at a potentially high price point if commercialized. Innovative designs and manufacturing processes often require higher costs, directly influencing the final product price.

In summary, the unveiling of Samsung's "Z-foldable" screen patent signals a potential paradigm shift in foldable phone design. The dual-hinge design cleverly addresses some pain points of traditional foldable phones, such as folded size and portability. The unique Z-shape also enhances the phone's recognizability and style. However, a high price could be a significant barrier to market entry. Consumer willingness to pay for this innovative design will be crucial to its market success. The patent offers new directions for future foldable phone development and generates excitement for Samsung's future innovations in this field. Whether Samsung will launch this concept phone and its eventual market performance will be closely watched by the industry. This patent application also indirectly reflects Samsung's continued investment and R&D efforts in foldable screen technology, solidifying its leading position in this sector. Future competition in the foldable phone market will intensify, and this patent gives Samsung a significant advantage. The design provides not only a new user experience but also inspires future foldable phone designs. We look forward to Samsung further refining this technology and bringing it to consumers.

This patent reveal foreshadows a more diverse and user-experience-focused future for the foldable phone market. As a leader in the foldable phone sector, Samsung's every innovation will have a profound impact on the entire industry. We anticipate more exciting innovations from Samsung in the future.