The newly launched Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 is arguably the best foldable smartphone available in the market. All the Samsung foldable smartphones launched to date came with an inward folding display. According to the latest patent spotted by LetsGoDigital, Samsung is likely working on a new Galaxy Fold-like phone featuring an outward folding display.
Samsung filed the patent for this foldable design with the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) on April 10, 2019. The patent approved just last week showcases the device with a unique display cut-out for using the same cameras in the front and rear.
Samsung to soon launch an outward folding phone?
The documentation includes a total of three different designs where two of them come with an outward folding display. All three variants feature a cut-out on one of the top corners. While there is a single camera placed on the foldable display, the cut-out allows users to take advantage of the rear cameras to capture selfies or make video calls.
If the company decides to with a larger cut-out, then the device can have three camera sensors on the front. Since this is just a design patent, there is no guarantee that Samsung will ever launch a similar-looking smartphone. Unlike the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Fold 2, there will be no cover display on this outward folding smartphone.
The company might also use under-display cameras on premium foldable devices
With the newly launched Galaxy Fold 2, the company got rid of the notch on the foldable display and large bezels of the cover display. Instead, Samsung opted for the punch-hole cameras to offer an immersive experience.
The previous rumors suggested the company to go with under-display cameras when the technology becomes commercially viable. Notably, the compromises like featuring a cut-out can also help the company make the foldable smartphones more affordable.
However, the outward folding design makes the display extremely fragile. Even Huawei might launch its new foldable smartphone with an inward folding display. If you didn’t know, both the previously launched Mate X and Mate Xs foldable smartphones from Huawei came with an outward folding display.
Samsung’s proprietary UTG (Ultra-Thin Glass) technology is the best solution available for protecting the foldable display. However, it has to get much better to make regular users buy foldable smartphones with confidence.
The company has long rumored to launch an affordable foldable smartphone called Galax Z Fold Lite. As of now, there is no official confirmation from Samsung about the launch of this device.