Having come out of a disastrous Note 7 launch, Samsung will be looking to restore trust among customers and distract from its explosion issues with new products in the future.
And a new patent (via Patently Apple) suggests one of those products could be a foldable tablet of a completely new kind.
Samsung has been known to be working on foldable OLED screens for some time, with numerous patents for bendable and foldable displays being granted in the past year or so.
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But this latest patent, granted this week, details an even more adaptable folding design, that folds like a leather folder when traveling and could be used in one of three ways in day-to-day use.
The design would allow for a device to be used as a wide tablet, a mobile desktop to rival the iPad Pro, or as a notebook whereby a ‘backside keyboard’ folds to the front of the device to create a Surface Pro-type setup.
One of the images provided with the patent also shows a fold-out kickstand integrated into the design, which should add even more flexibility to how the tablet can be used.
Of course, Samsung patents several designs, and this latest patent is certainly no proof that the foldable tablet will make it to market.
But following the Note 7 debacle, the South Korean firm will be keen to introduce some new innovations, and we’re hoping to see sometihng that uses a folding display in the next few years.
Sammy is thought to be one of the leaders of bendable display technology, and many are expecting to see something of the tech at Mobile World Congress in February 2017.
We’re yet to hear anything concrete, however, so stay tuned for the latest.
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Let us know if you’d like to see a foldable tablet from Samsung in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
