Patent-based concept: what a foldable Xiaomi smartphone might look like

Shown a patent for a smartphone-accordion from Xiaomi

One of the trends of last year was foldable smartphones with flexible matrix. There were expectations that this year we will witness an invasion of such devices, but it seems that enthusiasm among smartphone manufacturers has diminished. All fans of the company were waiting for Xiaomi to release its foldable mobile phone, but for some reason the company did not rush to announce such a device.

At this stage, she is busy with continuing to patent smartphones, where they “bend the unbending”. In March of this year, Xiaomi filed a patent application for a foldable smartphone with the World Intellectual Property Organization. The patent documents show a device that folds like an accordion in two places. When folded, this is an ordinary, but very massive and thick smartphone, and when unfolded you can get a tablet.

In addition to the flexible matrix, presumably 9 inches diagonal, there is an additional screen on the outside. The front camera was also included here, which, most likely, in combination, can take over the functions of the main one.

Of course, the patent documents do not mention when a company is going to introduce such a smartphone. Unless, of course, she is seriously aiming to submit a commercial version of it.