Is this the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 secret weapon to take on the iPhone 12?

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 front and back
(Image credit: Windows United)

Now the Samsung Galaxy S20 series and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip have been revealed to the world, we're already looking towards Samsung's future. Next up to bat is the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, and eagle-eyed smartphone fans are looking for any info as to what the Korean manufacturer might have planned. 

Smartphone technology blog PatentlyMobile, which reports on filings by Samsung, Google and Microsoft, has found a patent recently granted to Samsung by the US Patent and Trademark Office. 

It covers a new curved display that extends over 100 degrees around the edge of the phone, and incorporates physical buttons like traditional "power" and "volume" switches into the curvature of the screen itself. Check out the new designs below:

PatentlyMobile

The design unearthed by PatentlyMobile features traditional buttons on a curved screen (Image credit: PatentlyMobile)

As you can see from the above designs, the screen contains cut-outs through which the buttons protrude, in much the same way as selfie cameras are shown through punch-holes in the front-facing screen. Samsung has previously filed patents for side-on touch controls, so it looks like it's considering both avenues for its next generation of smartphones. 

Samsung's Galaxy Note series is comprised of "phablet" models designed to give users plenty of screen real estate. With more space to play with, users get the accompanying S Pen stylus to write, draw, create and otherwise work across a larger surface area. A wraparound curved screen like this one contributes to that surface area while cutting down on the device's overall size.

We must stress that just because a patent has been approved, it does not mean Samsung is guaranteed to implement the technology immediately – or at all. However, the smartphone manufacturer is reportedly working hard to give the Note 20 its best screen yet. 

A recent tidbit of information from top leaker Iceuniverse suggests that the Note 20 will be sporting a more advanced version of the S20's 120Hz refresh rate. Check it out:

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With a wraparound screen and a silky-smooth refresh rate to go with it, it sounds as though the Note 20 will have the biggest and best display on the market – one which even the forthcoming iPhone 12 will struggle to match. 

Could the Note 20's incredible display be its secret weapon to give it the edge over its Apple rival? As usual, we'll have to wait until both phones are in our hands later this year for the final verdict.  

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Matt Evans currently writes about health and fitness for Fit & Well, focusing on exercise and nutrition. Prior to that, he was a writer and editor at Tom's Guide, covering gaming, wearables, and phones. His work has also appeared on MSN, The Daily Mirror, Bandcamp Daily, Birmingham Business Journal, and more.