Apple has been granted yet another patent (number 10,705,634) regarding foldable iPhones (and perhaps iPads). This one is dubbed “foldable electronic device with exposed display region.”
Personally, I don’t think we’ll ever see foldable smartphones or tablets from the tech giant. However, in the newly granted patent, Apple says that foldable devices would offer enhanced portability.
The problem is that folding an iPhone or iPad may cause some functions to be inaccessible. Apple’ solution is to provide a small screen in an extra tab section/housing.
Here’s the summary of the patent: “An electronic device may be provided with a display mounted in a housing. The display is flexible and bends around a bend axis as the housing is folded and unfolded. When the housing is in an unfolded configuration, the display lies flat in a plane and displays images for a user. When the housing is folded along the bend axis and placed into a folded configuration, a first portion of the display is covered by the housing and is hidden from view, whereas a protruding second portion of the display is uncovered by the housing and exposed for viewing. Control circuitry in the device may display notifications, icons, and other content on the exposed second portion.”
