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Microsoft has a patent for a foldable phone-to-tablet device

By Cookie Monster - on 17 Jan 2017, 3:00am

Microsoft has a patent for a foldable phone-to-tablet device

Image source: The Verge

Foldable phones are going to be the next big trend as there is an increasing number of companies filing patents on these devices. The latest company which is found to have applied for one is Microsoft. 

Discovered by MSPoweruser, Microsoft appears to be patenting a 2-in-1 foldable device which can function as a phone and tablet. The patent describes the device as flexible and supported by a flexible hinge structure. The diagrams accompanying the patent reveal a phone device which can be folded and transformed into a tablet similar to what you see on Lenovo's Yoga tablets today. 

The Verge noted that this patent is significant as the design is invented by Kabir Siddiqui, the same person who successfully patented Microsoft's Surface kickstand and Surface camera angle. Microsoft is said to be releasing three variants of the Surface Phone by April this year. The three models will come with different specs ranging from 3GB RAM to 8GB RAM and 32GB to 128GB internal storage space

LG and Samsung are expected to launch foldable smartphones later this year although the latter's Galaxy X smartphone is said to be launched in the first half of 2018. Nokia was recently granted a patent for a foldable device which has two identical sides connected by a hinge with a single screen panel that can fold in half. 

Source: MSPoweruser via The Verge

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