Most foldable smartphones currently fold inward, protecting the main screen with an outer shell and featuring a smaller outer display. Huawei offers outward-folding devices, which while sleek, compromise durability by leaving part of the screen exposed. Samsung has patented a unique foldable device that can fold both inward and outward, eliminating the need for a separate cover display and maintaining an exposed display strip beneath the camera. The device utilizes innovative supportive layers and custom support plates for flexible bending. Similar to a 2023 demo called “Flex In & Out,” no updates on its commercial release have emerged.
Currently, the majority of foldable smartphones are designed to fold inward, with the primary display shielded by an exterior shell and a secondary smaller screen for notifications and basic functionalities.
In contrast, brands like Huawei have introduced outward folding devices that feature the folding screen on the exterior, wrapping around the back of the phone. Although these designs appear sleeker and more innovative, they face significant durability issues since part of the display remains exposed at all times.
Imagine having a foldable device that can fold in both directions! Samsung has filed a patent for such a device, which was illustrated by @xleaks7.
This patent-pending device showcases 360-degree folding capabilities, allowing the display to fold inward and outward, effectively removing the need for an additional cover display. Notably, even when folded, there is a display strip visible beneath the camera modules.
The patent details Samsung’s proprietary supportive layers placed beneath the ultra-thin glass (UTG) flexible display, featuring flexible polymer substrates and a flexible adhesive layer. Additionally, the device incorporates distinct fold axes and custom support plates that enable bending in both directions, thanks to their intricate lattice and stripe design.
In fact, Samsung showcased a similar concept device called “Flex In & Out” back in 2023, but as of now, there have been no further updates on its development towards commercial availability.
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