Xiaomi has patented a new smartphone design. This time around, Xiaomi patented a smartphone with an extendable display.
This is not the first time that we’re seeing a patent for a smartphone with an extendable display, as Xiaomi is not the first to patent something like that. Both Samsung and LG already patented such smartphones with extendable displays, and Xiaomi is now here with its offering as well.
This patent had been published via WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) on December 6. If you take a look at the images in the gallery down below, you’ll be able to see the device itself.
Xiaomi smartphone with extendable display is shown in sketches
As it’s clearly visible in these sketches, the phone includes really thin bezels on three sides, above, below, and on the right side of the display. Its bezel on the left is quite thick.
The phone extends from left to right, and as you can see, there are seemingly two selfie cameras on the left. There are two cameras included on the back of the device as well. All of those cameras are vertically-aligned.
We’re not really sure how this phone extends its display. It is probably a rolling system, but the provided patent and images are not clearing things up.
When extended, this phone’s display expands 100-percent. So, let’s say that the phone’s display measures 6 inches. Well, when expanded, you can take advantage of a 12-inch panel. We’re only guessing the initial size, of course.
So, this device can essentially become a rather large tablet when needed. When you don’t need so much screen real-estate and are carrying the phone around in your pocket, you simply shrink it down in size.
Xiaomi still did not introduce a foldable smartphone
Xiaomi still did not announce its foldable smartphone. The company demoed its foldable device a while back, but an announcement has not been made just yet.
Huawei, Samsung, and Motorola did release their foldable offerings, and Samsung’s second-gen foldable device is expected to arrive in February next year.
Xiaomi will, hopefully, announce its first foldable smartphone before Samsung’s second-gen model arrives. We still do not know when that might happen, but it will hopefully occur soon.
Smartphones with extendable displays could make an appearance next year. We’re only guessing, though, based on the number of patents we’ve seen.
