Folding displays appear to be the next big thing in mobile devices, with Microsoft's rumored Andromeda device and Samsung's forthcoming Galaxy X phone sucking up most of the hype. Other manufacturers, however, are planning to get in on the game as well, and a newly spotted patent filed by Lenovo may give us a hint at things to come.
Initially discovered by Windows Latest, the patent was filed in December of 2017 and published in July of 2018. It shows off a potential design for a foldable device that can be used as a large-screened tablet or folded into a more pocketable form with the aid of a hinge running across its rear.
From the patent's abstract:
A portable information device is capable of securing the appearance quality and the durability of products while having a foldable configuration. The portable information device has a backbone member provided throughout and between the inner surface of one edge portion of a first chassis member and the inner surface of one edge portion of a second chassis member so as to cover a gap between the one edge portion of the first chassis member and the one edge portion of the second chassis member connected by a hinge mechanism.
As this is only a patent, it's worth noting there's a probability that it could never see the light of day in a shipping product. Many ideas make it to the patent stage without making their way, at least as shown, in consumer products.
Still, there's no doubt that the market is bound to see an influx of foldable devices in the coming years. Whether Microsoft's own Andromeda unicorn will be a part of that rollout remains to be seen, but Lenovo, it appears, is at least preparing to experiment with its own products.
