Samsung patents origami-style laptop that can fold in four
Samsung is the market leader when it comes to folding phones, but it’s clear the company has got its eye on other form factors. A patent for a foldable Galaxy Tab emerged last year, but Samsung’s approach to laptops could attract a lot more attention.
According to a patent uncovered byLetsGoDigital, the company is working on a laptop that could fold in half not once, but twice. That’s right – a future Galaxy Book could fold down to barely a quarter of its usual size.
The associated diagram sheds some light on how it might work. Both the display and keyboard would supposedly split in two, before folding on top of one another in an origami-style design. This would create a portable device with four layers, secured by a built-in clip with a hook.
Both halves of the display would face inwards and rest against the keyboard, just like on a regular laptop. Two batteries and other key internal components would be split between the two sides of the keyboard, with S-Pen support retained.
However, it’s hard to imagine how the viewing and typing experience wouldn’t be hampered by a split down the middle. It’d need to be far less noticeable than the patent diagrams suggest.
It’s worth noting that Samsung initially filed the patent back in July 2021 – it was only approved and released this month. The latest version being worked on internally may be significantly different, although there’s no guarantee it’ll ever come to market. Only a small percentage of all designs patented ever make their way into a final product.
Still, it’s exciting to know a company like Samsung is working on form factors we’ve never seen before. Folding Windows devices so far have been limited toLenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Foldand theAsus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED, which opt for a foldable tablet with detachable keyboard instead.
Until the tech gains mainstream appeal,our 2-in-1 laptop charthighlights some of the best solutions so far.This covers both laptops with 360° hinges and tablets with detachable keyboards.
Author: Anyron Copeman, Mobile Editor, Tech Advisor
Anyron is Mobile Editor at Tech Advisor, where he’s been a mainstay of the editorial team since 2019. In his current role, Anyron is responsible for all smartphone, tablet and mobile network coverage on the site. A BA Journalism graduate, he has experience with a wide range of consumer tech products and services, including smartphones, tablets, foldables, wearables and more.
