Forget Galaxy Z Fold 3: This Samsung foldable could replace Galaxy Note

Forget Galaxy Z Fold three: This Samsung foldable could supervene upon Galaxy Notation

(Image credit: LetsGoDigital/Technizo Concept)

Samsung'south been patenting phone designs over again, and this one looks similar an exciting hybrid of the versatility of the current Galaxy Z devices with the convenient productivity of a Galaxy Note phone. This concept could eventually become the Milky way Z Fold 4, simply it's way as well early to say.

The original patent, filed with Cathay'due south CNIPA, was discovered last month by LetsGoDigital. At present we've got some tasty renders of the original illustrations, courtesy of Technizo Concept and LGD, to help us imagine how this phone would look and function.

This concept could somewhen go the Milky way Z Fold four, just it's way besides early to say. Here's a wait at the blueprint and features based on the patent.

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LGD describes this phone as the "Galaxy Flex Note". That's based on a Samsung trademark for the name that was besides filed earlier this yr. The patent itself doesn't brand any mention of the proper noun.

The blueprint uses what can be described equally a "wardrobe-style" fold, with the larger fixed portion of the display on one side and the smaller display and photographic camera array able to be folded around to sit on the dorsum. Unfolding both sides of the device reveals the total latitude of the wraparound display, plus the cameras in case yous want to accept a selfie.

That does mean that the screen is a lot less protected than the inner panels of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 or Galaxy Z Flip 3, although it matches other foldables with dissimilar styles like the original Huawei Mate X.

Renders of a Samsung Galaxy Flex Note, based on Samsung patents — (Image credit: LetsGoDigital/Technizo Concept)

So with the outside taken upwardly by display and cameras, the Southward Pen is then located on a magnetic strip on the outside border of the extended display. At that place'due south a cutout well-nigh the center of the device's dorsum likewise so that the stylus can stay in place when the whole thing is folded up.

The Galaxy Z Fold iii can already use 1 of 2 different Southward Pens, and is the first Samsung foldable to be able to exercise so. However, there's no on-board pen holster for either version, with Samsung but offering a case that can contain the smaller Southward Pen Fold Edition. This patent would improve on that capability significantly were it to be brought to a future phone.

The in-display photographic camera comes in two variants in Samsung's illustrations. 1 shows a blank screen, perhaps indicating an under-display camera like the one establish on the Galaxy Z Fold 3'southward inner brandish. The other has twin punch-hole cutouts, something Samsung hasn't used on a phone before.

Interestingly, this would be the only camera array on the whole phone, going past Samsung'south patent. The rear triple photographic camera array seen in the renders is an embellishment added past Technizo Concept. Given the lacking quality of Samsung's current under-display camera, and the common nature of ultrawide and telephoto cameras on flagship phones, information technology would be a foreign conclusion if Samsung actually fabricated a foldable without a dedicated rear camera array.

Of course, with this beingness a patent, there's no guarantee this idea will ever get an actual production. Information technology may non even appear on a Samsung phone at first either, since Samsung Display supplies flexible screen parts to other companies.

The adjacent telephone on the cards for Samsung could exist the Galaxy S21 Fe, only it's still uncertain whether or not this phone is actually coming. The next certain-seeming bet is the Galaxy S22, which we expect to see in January of next year. The S22 Ultra has also been the subject of S Pen-related rumors, as it'south claimed this will exist the phone to replace the canceled Galaxy Note 21 by offering in-built storage for a stylus.

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Richard is a Tom's Guide staff writer based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, gaming, audio and whatever else people need advice on. Post-obit on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he'southward also written for WIRED U.M., The Register and Creative Bloq. When non at work, he'southward likely thinking virtually how to brew the perfect cup of specialty java.