Apple Working On A Foldable Smartphone With A Magnetic Mechanism
Last month saw a bunch of smartphone manufacturers showcasing their take on a foldable smartphone. Samsung announced the Galaxy Fold and Huawei showed off its Mate X. There is another major OEM which is reportedly working on a foldable device. Fresh patents filed by Apple reveal what the company has planned as a folding mechanism on its long rumoured foldable smartphone. The company may be planning to put magnets under both sides of the display to make the device fold completely flat.
Apple Foldable Smartphone
The patent filed by Apple suggests different folding designs that the company may be planning on using. The image in the patent exhibits the use of magnets under the display. These magnets may be used to make the foldable smartphone fold completely flat, which is a problem other OEMs seem to struggle to figure out. The magnets that may be used are expected to be electromagnetic in nature and spring into action when the device is folded, to keep both sides of the display latched together. As soon as the device is unfolded, the electromagnets will lose their charge, making it effortless to open the device.
According to reports, Apple is trying to develop a specialized display coating and new foldable sensors to make the folding mechanism work. Intriguingly, the patent suggests that the display panel makes use of some sort of heating technology to improve the operability of the panel. The heating method that is suggested is required every time the display is folded or unfolded, as a cold display is more susceptible to breaking or cracking when folded and unfolded repeatedly. The images also show a unique, circular hinge which consolidates both sides of the display. Unfortunately, other details about the Apple foldable device isn’t known yet.
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This technology employed by Apple is expected to be groundbreaking as the company is known to wait out on current trends until they are perfected. The foldable device from Apple may be a smartphone or a computing device, like an iPad which will turn into a compact device when folded. As per the reports, the company may release the device next year.
You can check out the patents filed by Apple here.
