Xiaomi’s tri-folding phone design suddenly surfaces after years of hiding in China’s patent office
It’s not a new patent, but the information is now publicly available and it looks suspiciously similar to a rival's design. #xiaomi #trifold #smartphone
How do dreams become a reality? For tech nerds, it all begins at the patent office. Image: Fast Technology.
It seems like you don’t have to wait too long to use a Google-capable, Android tri-folding smartphone.
Chinese technology news website Fast Technology published screenshots of a Xiaomi phone patent that was revealed in September 2024.
The patent was initially filed as early as 2 December 2022, and it shows a tri-folding smartphone that used a Z-shaped folding method identical to the tri-folding Huawei Mate XT (sadly, only available in China).
Screenshot of the Xiaomi tri-fold phone patent. Source: Fast Technology.
The patent (number CN308817132S) was filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (国家知识产权局), which is the government office that regulates intellectual property in China.
This design also vastly differs from a 2019 tri-fold patent that Xiaomi filed with the European Union Intellectual Property Office. According to GSMArena, this variant had both sides folded out and covered the rear cameras.
What’s not said, however, is why the 2022 patent suddenly surfaced again. The last update said Xiaomi is still researching and developing a tri-fold alternative. We can’t wait.
Source: Fast Technology, GSMArena
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