Microsoft is planning a foldable smartphone that folds thrice

Microsoft has received a patent for a three-display foldable smartphone from the US Patent office, reported Patently Apple, a website dedicated to coverage of tech patents.

According to the patent application filed by Microsoft, the three displays will be facing in the same direction and will be secured with two sets of hinges one of which will bend backwards. The first hinge will hold the first and second display while the second hinge will hold the second and third display together. When closed the three displays will be stacked on top of each other.  

It’s not yet clear whether the foldable screens in the triple folding smartphone will be a single unit that will fold from the middle like a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 or Galaxy Z Flip, or it will have three separate screens on the lines of the dual screen Surface Duo smartphones. A major drawback of Surface Duo is that it leaves a gap between the two screens when open, which mars the experience while watching movies or gaming. 

Also read: Microsoft confirms that attackers exploited Log4Shell to deploy new ransomware

Despite initial doubts about their durability, foldable smartphones have finally managed to convince smartphone buyers. According to International Data Corporation (IDC)’s estimates, the global foldable smartphone market is going to exceed 4 million units in 2021 as compared to 1.9 million units shipped in 2020. IDC expects the shipment of foldable smartphones to grow to 13.9 million units by 2025.  

Foldable smartphones offer a much larger screen when open, offering a lot more legroom for work as well as entertainment. For instance, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 has a 7.6-inch display.  

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has been working on an iPhone with a foldable screen for some time. Though there were rumours of a possible launch in 2022, Gurman hasn’t predicted any timeline for launch.