Apple granted double-folding iPhone patent

Image: AFP/Emmanuel Dunand

A patent granted to Apple has been spotted for a phone that folds not once, but twice.

Apple is working away patenting several models of their own folding device that we can assume is for a future iPhone.

In 2013, Apple began its quest for a flexible phone with a patent that was granted two years later for a display that bends in a similar fashion to a slap bracelet. Since then, as outlined by 9to5Mac, Apple has been granted patents for a plethora of designs anywhere from a book-like folding display, a flip-phone style folding display, to most recently, a tri-fold display. Basically, the first folding iPhone has a considerable amount of options.

This particular patent covers a range of hinge-based designs, as opposed to the previously patented bend blueprint. The flexible hinge is the main point of the application, and the company goes on to display the mechanism in center- and tri-folding positions.

The company looks to be hoping to secure its place in the folding phone market while other brands are more focused on being the first to release such a device. However, announcement day appears to continue being delayed.

The newest rumor now is that Samsung will show off its Galaxy F at their Developers Conference next month, but we don’t yet have an official confirmation. Additionally, Huawei has been threatening their own folding device release next month, but without an event in place, there’s reluctance to get excited.

Apple hasn’t mentioned anything about its plans to release a folding iPhone yet, but it seems to be in the works considering that the first patent popped up over five years ago. And if Samsung’s version isn’t a gimmick and does come out before the end of this year, it’s likely that Apple will not wait too long to release its competition. JB

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