We’ve covered many Samsung patents over the years. However, two recently unearthed patents looks interesting, involving flexible batteries and a wrap-around touch-screen.
The first patent shows that Samsung is in development on flexible batteries. With the upcoming foldable phone craze almost reaching a tipping point, powering a folding device without resorting to bulky batteries is important. The new patent from Samsung shows a stretchable lithium battery designed for flexible applications. In this scenario, the possibility of a foldable phone.
The battery is still in development, but inside the patent document, real-world images of the battery in action are attached. It shows a wavy battery in both relaxed and stretched modes, while supplying power to a test circuit.
The other patent posits a true, wrap-around screen for Samsung’s upcoming smartphones. Discovered on the World International Patent Organization (WIPO) by the folks at LetsGoDigital, it shows a true screen-only device with touch surfaces all around. The patent further suggests that the speaker, front-facing camera and other important sensors will be placed underneath the front display.
What makes this patent interesting is the suggestion that future devices could soon utilise multiple designs, and not just the current candybar slate design. One of the proposed shapes is a six-sided hexagon, while the same technologies is still crammed into the standard form-factor.
The two patents are a little bit far-fetched for today’s mass market consumption, but they do show hints of what Samsung will be bothering itself with for the next few years. The patents may not show up in future consumer products, but at least Samsung will undoubtedly take what it’s learned and apply them to all future devices.
(Source: Free Patents Online, LetsGoDigital via PhoneArena 1,2)
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