Update: Samsung's rollable phone screen could be sliding one too.
Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event may have seen the unveiling of two highly-anticipated foldable smartphones in the form of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3. But that's not all the South Korean tech giant is planning to do on the foldable front.
Samsung has previously confirmed that it's been experimenting with rollable and slideable concepts, though that's been it as far as any official word. But LetsGoDigital reports that a new German patent has surfaced covering a new rollable smartphone reportedly in development at Samsung.
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The patent reportedly describes every aspect of the phone's design in full detail. Judging by the documents, it looks like Samsung's rumored rollable smartphone could feature an outward rollable display panel, similar to the likes of the Oppo X 2021 and LG Rollable, the latter of which was shown off earlier this year, but discontinued when LG exited the phone business.
What's most exciting about Samsung's rollable take is that when extended, the overall display on Samsung's potential rollable could potentially increase by around 40 to 50% — at least based on LetsGoDigital's reporting.
As for the rear panel, the patent contends that the phone could pack a vertically aligned triple camera sensor as well as a horizontal curved screen that also acts as a secondary display.
Similar to what we've just seen in the Z Fold 3, the phone described in this patent would feature an under-display selfie camera that would only be visible when taking front-facing pictures/videos. The front camera will also reportedly have a 4-megapixel lens, while the rear lenses can also act as a selfie-taking camera with the help of a potentially big secondary display; the concept is similar to what you get with the Galaxy Z Flip 3.
There's also potential for a special dedicated button, which would expand or roll up the display when pressed. However, we've also seen reports that Samsung could use the power button for that same reason.
It's possible that Samsung may be planning to introduce an in-display fingerprint sensor on this rumored phone, as well as a special interface that would adjust the display settings depending on whether the phone is fully unrolled or not.
However, when it comes to phones with flexible displays, the number one concern is durability, in addition to water and dust resistance levels. Those complaints ended up delaying the launch of the original Galaxy Z Fold two years ago, though Samsung seems to have since found its foldable footing. The two latest models, for example, both feature IPX8 water resistance ratings in addition to other durability improvements.
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