Apple was recently granted a patent for a new smartphone design. This new patent could become the new trend and could possibly alter the course of the smartphone industry. It is expected to be revealed in the upcoming iPhone 8.
Patently Apple, known for reporting "Granted Patents" to Apple, has recently revealed what could be the next iPhone design. The design involves the use of "Advanced Nanotube Structures" to create a "Foldable" and "Bendable" mobile device. The patent also states, "Conductive carbon nanotube paths can form signal paths that are flexible and resistant to cracking." These "nanotubes" will become a major component in the phone's display, trackpad, touch sensors, etc.
The concept of producing a bendable and foldable device is not new to the industry. Business Insider last year reported that Samsung was working on a phone "with a crazy flexible screen that bends and folds, and it could launch in January." The report showcased Samsung's new screens that the company is presenting at various conferences, called the "YOUM" screens. Unfortunately, there are no current updates for Samsung's bendable screens since the Galaxy Note 7 incident.
LG Electronics also is currently in development of foldable displays and smartphones, as reported by ETNews Korea IT News. LG has been presenting their OLED technology for quite some time now. The company has also created curved smartphone devices like the LG G-Flex, which is already out in the market.
The patent acquired by Apple with the use of nanotubes could just be another method of producing bendable and foldable devices. The prototypes presented by Samsung looked great and functional, but that was more than three years ago. The possibility is that maybe the technology is not that easy or is not yet consumer friendly when it comes to the price. Another is the production cost of such devices.
Whatever the reason is, in the end, it all comes down to the consumer's decision which product will prevail.
