Image credit: MacRumors
While companies are gearing up for another fancy Mobile World Congress, there are also things happening in the background for future works. Take Apple, for example, which was recently granted a new patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for hinge mechanism in a foldable device.
First spotted by MacRumors, Apple's new patented hinge would be able to provide enough separation for the two halves of the screen. It will then use movable flaps that pivot or extend to fill in the gap when unfolded. Theoretically, this mechanism would help eliminate creasing for the portion of the display that has to fold in.
When fully folded, the pivoting flaps (12F) move outwards to create additional space
Other foldable devices thus far all have this creasing problem. Apple's patent may not necessarily be able to solve it either but it does prove that they are aware of the issue and are looking into it. Of course, there is no guarantee that Apple would actually make a foldable device in the year 2020, let alone one with this particular hinge mechanism.
The foldable display technology is still in its teething stage but we expect to see more in future. Hopefully, prices will come down sooner rather than later! Having said that, what are your thoughts on foldable devices, do the creases bother you? Do let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news like this.
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