Once again, Microsoft suffered a dismal failure with its latest mobile device, the Surface Duo. Discontinued last October, the Surface Duo featured two separate screens with an unwelcome imposing hinge, in part because it deviated from the trend set by devices like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold with its single large flexible screen. But Microsoft apparently hasn’t abandoned this market yet.
Simplified hinge design
This week, Microsoft filed a new patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a different type of hinge for foldable devices. Unsurprisingly, the Redmond giant is now considering a design that more closely matches current market preferences, with an invisible (or almost) hinge.
The patent 20240426335 focuses on a hinge that makes devices thinner and more compact. Here is the basic idea:
- Hinge assembly : This new hinge connects two parts of the device, allowing them to open and close at different angles.
- Flexible display : The screen extends across both parts of the device above the hinge, allowing for a seamless display when open.
- Hinge Components : the hinge includes parts that slide and pivot, which allows the device to fold while taking up less space than the brand’s older models.
The patent illustration shows the device fully opened 180 degrees, where the hinge is hidden under other parts, suggesting a smoother and less visible folding mechanism than that used in the Surface Duo, launched in 2020.
Although we will have to go back to find a real innovation, this demonstrates that the foldable phone market is still closely scrutinized by giants like Microsoft. Apple, for its part, has filed many patents in this regard, and should unveil its first device by 2026. An iPad Fold could precede an iPhone Fold.
