Samsung patent reveals 360-degree foldable device

Most of the foldable smartphones today are inward folding devices – the main screen is protected by the outer shell, and you have a smaller outer screen for notifications and basic tasks.

Some makers like Huawei also have outward folding devices, which wrap the folding screen around the back of the device. While sleeker and more futuristic, these types of foldables are seriously compromised in terms of durability, as part of the display is always exposed.

What if you could have a foldable that folds both inward and outward? Well, Samsung has patented such a device which was brought to life by @xleaks7.

The patent-pending device features 360-degree folding areas that allow it to fold its display inward and outward and eliminates the need for a separate cover display. We can also see that even in its folded state, the device has an exposed display strip beneath the camera modules.

The patent description details Samsung’s self-developed supportive layers beneath the ultra-thin glass (UTG) flexible screen, which add flexible polymer substrates and a flexible adhesive layer. The device also employs separate fold axes and custom support plates which allow bending in both directions thanks to their lattice and stripe pattern.

Samsung actually demoed a similar “Flex In & Out” concept device back in 2023, though we haven't gotten any updates on its progress to bring the device to commercial form.

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