Samsung wins patent for tri-fold smartphone with better durability

There is speculation that Samsung is developing a tri-fold smartphone. The move is said to be a move to catch up to Huawei, which launched the world’s first tri-fold smartphone called the Mate XT Ultimate Design in September. Ahead of its anticipated debut in 2025, Samsung has recently been granted a patent for a flexible display device featuring a foldable design with three screens and a special barrier layer for improved durability and reduced strain.

Samsung patent for tri-fold smartphone

a patent granted By the US Patent and Trademark Office (through MSPoweruser for Samsung Electronics) describes a display device with a flexible form factor. It was filed by Samsung in 2021 and granted on November 5. Unlike rigid devices, which have an allocated screen area for displaying images, this alleged device is shown to have three areas: a first area that is folded, a second area that can be folded and unfolded, and a third area. Organized in a specific direction.

Samsung’s alleged tri-fold smartphone
Photo credit: US Patent and Trademark Office/Samsung

According to the patent, the device will have a special barrier layer located below the display panel. This layer is said to have at least one opening that can overlap a second display area, and two lower plates placed beneath the panel overlapping all three areas. Additionally, the display panel may also have an anti-reflective layer on top, as used on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Although it suggests that the flexible display device may have the ability to bend, fold or deform into different shapes, the document may refer to the same alleged tri-fold smartphone that Samsung is rumored to be developing.

It is also speculated that the tri-fold smartphone will come with support for multiple input methods apart from touch gestures. This suggests that the alleged device may also have S-Pen support.

However, it is important to note that not all devices for which patents are granted reach the final production stage or contain the same elements. Thus, it is currently unclear whether Samsung’s alleged tri-fold smartphone will have similar technical aspects as described in the patent filing.