Recently unearthed patent filings hint that Samsung is working on two new smartwatches. According to gsmarena report, one of the two smartwatches features a foldable display as well. The other smartwatch seems to be a more sport and fitness-oriented one. It’s untenable that the smartwatch with the foldable display spikes a lot more interest. The patent reveals that the foldable wearable could be like a slap-on bracelet, which would be based around a foldable panel.
On the other hand, the second patent, as we mentioned earlier, hint at a sporty wearable, however the strap of the device has been very interestingly described in the documents. Basically, it can be used to input control. A user can interact with the wearable by shifting its position, relative to the strap. A second strap could also potentially be introduced to the setup for an extended or at least different input scheme. If you look at the patent documents you can see some scenarios illustrated for the usage scenarios for the device, including wrapping it around your neck, or hanging it on an object, likely with varied functional intentions.
The patent for a flexible display was granted to Samsung by the US Patent and Trademark Office. The image of the concept smartphone with the flexible display technology, showed it bending from the middle. The interesting part about that patent was that the flexible device bent without one using a hand for it. The report explains that the technology used an electrode layer, dielectric elastomer film, while another electrode is used in both the upper and lower portion of the flexible display. When a certain amount of voltage is applied on both the layers, the flexible device bends itself. This technology although explained in theory would be more understandable when demonstrated for real.
Even earlier, Samsung has been granted a patent for a flexible display. Naturally, these many patent filings make people more curious of the company working on such a device. Samsung’s previous patents include a 3-in-1 foldable smartphone, which can be used as a watch, smartphone and a tablet. Recent patents also reveal the making of a smartphone folding into half, and another unfolding from a 5-inch form factor. There also have been rumors that Samsung may be unveiling its flexible display smartphone at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, which will take place in February, 2017. But then again, as in case with all patents, one can never be sure if these would ever materialize in actual products and reach the markets.
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