Microsoft patent application suggests a true foldable phone is coming with a thin form factor, more

Microsoft patent application suggests a true foldable phone is coming with a thin form factor, more،

Of course, Surface Duo fans got upset with Microsoft when it became clear that a Surface Duo 3 wouldn't come to market. Yes, the Surface Duo had its fans even though it wasn't a true foldable phone and was just two panels joined in the middle by a hinge. So even though there isn't a crease in the middle of the larger screen, when the Surface Duo is opened there is a hinge that you really have to ignore to create the illusion that you're using a larger screen of the size of a tablet.

The second (and final) Surface Duo features a pair of 5.8-inch displays that can be used as an external cover display on the front or back of the phone. When the device is fully opened, users have a tablet-sized 8.3-inch canvas to work with. Let's give the Surface Duo a moment of silence. That's enough. Now, what's next for Microsoft in terms of smartphones? A patent application filed by Microsoft could shed light on the form factor the company envisions for its next connected phone.

A patent application published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) late last month titled “Spine Cover Plate of a Foldable Computing Device” shows a Galaxy Z Fold-like device that opens around the vertical axis. A new mechanism called the back cover plate covers the hinge and the area where the screen folds to protect it. Microsoft claims that the spine shield can be used to cover gaps preventing dust and water from entering the device.

The SurfaceDuo 2

Microsoft is looking for the spine cover plate to kill two birds with one stone. The phone will be more durable and therefore less prone to damage from an accidental hit. And it will also make it harder to see a crease. By moving closer to the hinge mechanism when the device is closed, the back plate makes the phone thinner and easier to hold.

Illustration from Microsoft's patent application - Microsoft's patent application suggests that a true foldable phone will have a slim form factor, more

Illustration taken from Microsoft's patent application

In the patent application, Microsoft writes: “By retracting the back cover plate toward the center back when the first screen support frame and the second screen support frame rotate in a face-to-face orientation, the width of the folded computer support The device is reduced, thus allowing easier and more comfortable handling of the device, for example with one hand.

The Surface Duo had its supporters even though it was truly a niche product. When Surface chief Panos Panay left Microsoft last September, it may have changed Microsoft's future plans for another Surface phone. However, this patent application has been published and we will see if it leads to a real foldable phone from Microsoft.