Microsoft It wasn’t expected with its Android-powered success. Surface Duo Series The smartphone company has discontinued the lineup after the Duo 2. But, that doesn’t mean the company has stopped trying.
A new one Patent application The filing, filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on February 29, suggests the company is working on another foldable or dual-display mobile device. The patent application describes the company’s foldable smartphone concept with a single-hedge technology called a “spine cover plate.”
The next Microsoft smartphones could feature a Galaxy Z Fold-like design.
According to the patent application, the phone could feature a “flexible display” in a book-style design similar to the Galaxy Z Fold Tens. However, the focus is on the spine cover plate mechanism which aims to protect the single hinge system of the device by covering the structural element.
The differentiating factor between the regular hinge and Microsoft’s design is that the spine cover automatically adjusts as the phone is opened and closed to prevent any unnecessary gaps around the hinge to keep it dust and water-tight. Currently, Samsung’s design offers an IPX8 rating that makes their foldables only water-resistant.
The patent further states that the new hinge mechanism could allow Microsoft to eliminate hinge creases that are less visible than the current options available in the market.
Additionally, Microsoft has also mentioned techniques that could reduce the overall thickness of the foldable smartphone by allowing the spine cover plate to move closer to the hinge of the device when folded.
“By moving the spine cover plate toward the central spine as the first display-supporting frame and rotating the second display-supporting frame in a face-to-face direction, the width of the folded computing device is reduced, thereby enabling easier and more comfortable handling of the device with one hand,” Microsoft noted in the patent.
Interesting idea but practicality is a question mark.
The entire smartphone market is looking for a way to eliminate the foldable craze from their smartphones. Some brands have already implemented a waterdrop folding mechanism to reduce this, but there is nothing like crease-free folding. Also, the amount of durability of the foldable is also important considering all the moving parts of these phones.
That said, adding another layer or moving part on top of the entire foldable mechanism doesn’t seem like a wise move, despite the added benefits and durability Microsoft explains in the patent application.
