After having perfected two folding screen cell phone models, making Galaxy Z Flip 3 e Galaxy Z Fold 3 true successes, the Samsung may move on to a third project that is even more complex and daring. According to a patent registered with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the brand has designs for a cell phone with two hinges, allowing the viewing of up to three parts of the screen.
Cell phone would have a Z-opening and fixed side section (Image: World Intellectual Property Organisation)
According to the images in the documentation, the mechanisms would be implemented in a Z format, which allows the partial opening of the display with one hinge, or total opening with both. There is also a thin fixed portion on the right side, which can be used to help with the device’s ergonomics and to house some components.
This side part would also bring its own mechanism to reveal the set of cameras, when they are slid to the side or even “flipped” outwards. At the bottom would be the USB-C port for battery charging or file transfer.
Devices of this type can have a display up to three times wider (Image: LetsGoDigital)
The big advantage of a device with two hinges would be the possibility of achieving an even larger-sized display, inside a construction that would remain relatively compact when closed — especially if the technologies developed by the brand allow each section to be thinner.
On the other hand, implementing what is exemplified in the patents would require an even larger amount of mechanical parts, This often poses big challenges for engineers in terms of strength and durability — today’s folding devices often come with a limited number of flexible display activations. Furthermore, making the device water and dust resistant also becomes a more difficult task.
Anyway, it’s unlikely that Samsung will introduce such a device in the coming months, especially if it doesn’t follow the same structural characteristics as the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 models (both devices come with IPX8 certification, for example). Patent registration does not guarantee that certain items will actually be released, as they still need to go through a series of feasibility assessments, for example.
