Microsoft has discontinued the Surface Duo smartphones but has filed a patent for a new foldable device with a single hinge system called a “spine cover plate.” The design aims to eliminate hinge crease and reduce the thickness of the device while providing added benefits and durability. However, its practical application is still uncertain.
Microsoft
He did not achieve the success he expected with his Android platform
Surface Duo series
Smartphones. The company discontinued the lineup after the Duo 2. But that doesn’t mean the company stopped trying.
new
Patent application
A filing submitted to the US Patent and Trademark Office on February 29 reveals that the company is working on another foldable or dual-screen mobile device.
The patent application describes the company’s take on a foldable smartphone concept using a single hinge technology called a “spine cover plate.”
Microsoft’s next smartphones could feature a Galaxy Z Fold-like design
According to the patent application, the phone could feature a “flexible display” in a book-shaped design similar to the Galaxy Z Fold versions. However, the entire focus is on the spine cover plate mechanism which aims to protect the single hinge system of the device by covering the structural element.
The differentiating factor between the regular hinge and Microsoft’s design is that the spine cover automatically adjusts as you open and close the phone to prevent any unnecessary gaps around the hinge to protect it from dust as well as water. Currently, Samsung’s design offers an IPX8 rating which makes its foldable devices only waterproof.
The patent also suggests that the new hinge mechanism could allow Microsoft to eliminate a hinge crease that is less noticeable than current options on the market.
Furthermore, Microsoft has also mentioned technologies that could allow it to reduce the overall thickness of the foldable smartphone by allowing the spine cover panel to move closer to the hinge of the device when folded.
“By pulling the spine cover plate toward the central spine so that the first screen-supporting frame and the second screen-supporting frame are rotated in a face-to-face direction, the width of the folded computer is reduced, enabling easier and more comfortable handling of the device, such as with one hand,” Microsoft noted in the patent.
Interesting idea, but practicality is a question mark
The entire smartphone market is looking for a way to remove the foldable crease from their smartphones. Some brands have already implemented a water drop folding mechanism to reduce it, but there is no such thing as wrinkle-free folding. Aside from that, the durability rating of foldable phones is also important considering all the moving parts these phones have.
However, adding another layer or moving part on top of the entire folding mechanism does not seem like a wise move despite the additional advantages and durability that Microsoft explained in the patent application.
