Various websites specializing in Samsung news and rumors report that the manufacturer has filed a patent at the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) that could be a sign of what's in store from the firm's upcoming folding smartphone, a product that's been in the pipeline for several years.
The patent details an original hinge system that folds the smartphone in half. It's reminiscent of old-gen clamshell handsets, but with a large folding touchscreen covering the front of the device. When open, the hinge is extremely discreet. On paper, it looks similar to the kind of system seen in Microsoft's Surface Book.
Codenamed "Project Valley," Samsung's R&D could give rise to a first folding model called the "Galaxy X" in 2017. This original product may land first of all in Asian markets, and manufacturers like LG and Lenovo could follow suit with rival devices.
Samsung has showcased flexible screens on several occasions and clearly masters bendable OLED technology. The South Korean manufacturer has always been at the forefront of innovation, bringing Super AMOLED technology to the Galaxy S in 2010 and fitting 2015's Galaxy S6 edge with a screen that's curved on both sides.
