Another folding phone patent has appeared, complimenting earlier designs published by Microsoft earlier in the year.
Microsoft watcher h0x0d unearthed the patent this morning, which shows a center-folding configuration, not unlike the ill-fated Microsoft Courier device of yesteryear.
As usual, be aware that patents don't always equal products. Companies frequently file prototypes and even ideas that will never emerge from the drafting table as a protectionary measure. However, given the raft of previous patents Microsoft has filed on this particular configuration, I'd say it's safe to say that the company is at least exploring a foldable cellular PC design for an upcoming handset or tablet.
The patent was originally filed in 2015 and was made public just yesterday. Unlike the previous folding phone patents which largely focus on hinges, this one provides a solution for reducing the visual impact from a screen that is comprised of several separate displays.
The patent discusses not just folding mobile devices, but also larger, tiled displays, made up of multiple screens.
Essentially, Microsoft is proposing a multi-layered screen where the segmented panels feature a curvature towards the edges, beneath a single upper layer. The lower curve is designed to create an optical trick that will draw light away from the gaps between the tiled display, making the screen appear as a continuous image on the outer display.
In display devices such as tiled displays or hinged displays, where multiple display panels may be included and separated by one another via the support structure, the visibility of the support structure may hinder a user's perception of displayed objects.
In order to reduce and/or obscure the visibility of a support structure for a display panel, the present disclosure provides example display devices including curved or otherwise bent regions for directing light to a user's eye when the user's gaze is directed to a support structure at an edge of the display panel. In this way, when a user is viewing a region occupied by the support panel, the user may instead see light from the display panel showing the displayed objects.
This methodology, presumably, would create folding phone displays that feature multiple active screens, but appear as a single, continuous image. The concept harkens back to various bendy devices seen in Microsoft's future visions video.
If Microsoft can pull this off, it would give any future mobile PC a truly unique, almost sci-fi form factor a device like the Surface Phone would need to shrug off comparisons to the iPhones and Samsung Galaxies out there.
Whether this patent idea leads to a physical, real-world product or not remains unknown, but it offers a tantalizing glimpse at the futuristic things Microsoft's innovative hardware design labs are doing behind the scenes. Hopefully, we won't have to wait long to find out if this is a real thing.
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Surface Phone, is that you? Another foldable mobile device patent emerges from Microsoft
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If MSFT pulss this off, I can see the hate steaming off the Android and iOS fanboys, who's world basically caves in at the possibility of such a device.....i've got my popcorn ready !
If that's a phone, that's a very big phone. Aside from that, why do people want a foldable phone? I don't see the attraction or the use. Something with a hard solid surface would be more useful - but we already have that with phones today.
I guess it comes down to this. If you can get a fold out phone with Android, iOS or Windows. Why would people choose Windows? I know Windows fans would use it obviously and there would be some good work cases but I mean the general public. Those who don't need it for work and are currently using Android or iOS. Would those people switch?
I don't see the point of a fold out phone with an OS like Android or IOS. I don't even see the point of a fold out phone with Windows Mobile 10. The only reason a fold out phone makes sense is a full desktop OS like Windows 10 or OSX. IMO there is absolutely nothing gained in the pocket mobile space by just having Android on a fold out screen. Which adds absolutely ZERO to the current market of Stagnant Mobile devices. It just becomes the next gimmick. As opposed to a full Windows 10 fold out which actually adds a whole heap of NEW functionality and moves the Mobile Pocket space along massively.
I think you're right. So with Samsung and LG planning folding screens, do you suppose they're planning those devices for Windows 10?
I just read the whole patent document and nowhere is mentionned the Surface Phone or even the word : Phone. So could you please explain me how did you put the link between this patent and the so called Surface Phone ?
it's all speculation at this point....
Great observation. You will not see the word Phone because MS has never mentioned Surface Phone. Ever. It's just mentioned on this site only as a done deal. Surface Phone is just speculation by some.
This would be a good device for laptop ban onboard commercial flights...Hurry up Microsoft!
For all the UWP fans, forget it! The desktop paradigm doesn't work with touch and touch doesn't work (well) with the desktop paradigm.
It's little more than a gimmick on laptops, as Apple has so aptly demonstrated by staying far, far away from touch. Lots of non-Mac laptops now have touch screens, and, Microsoft has done nothing with that preponderance of touch. It's simply not a form factor that's made for touch.
Although, in all fairness, Microsoft does understand the limitations of touch. They have pretty much ignored the desktop in their touch experiments. UWP is working on the touch screen category.
However, it's too late. Apple was the first out of the gate and did it in spectacular fashion. They were also the first out of the gate within the tablet form factor. Android was a close second, and, because of Apple's success as a premium brand, Android was relegated to second tier. Windows mobile/whatever it's called, well, too little, too late. It's a bit player and for Microsoft to win back market share will be an expensive endeavour. There also was the BlackBerry PlayBook, a marvel of engineering with a decent interface. Long gone :(.
Microsoft gets that touch on the desktop is a pointless endeavour. I'm not sure they really get mobile devices. They're still a bit player in the world of touch. Apple and the Android ecosystem have the world of touch locked up.
Teenagers largely have Apple iPhones. Usually, it's the ones who can't afford an iPhone that get themselves an Android phone. And, none of them have Windows phones. This is big. Microsoft can do what it wants with the UWP/WIndows mobile, but, without the younger demographic, it's a lost cause. For people to switch platforms is big. Microsoft would need to have a revolutionary device to bring people back to their ecosystem. But, Apple and Google are not going to sit by idly and allow Microsoft to come up with all the good ideas.
For us end users it's great because there's a new race to see who can get the edge in the world of touch devices and vision. For Microsoft, not so much, but, since I'm not a Microsoft stock holder I'm not concerned :).
Couple things, first, I'm guessing you never saw Windows XP tablets? (Apple wasn't first on tablets lol, it was like Sony, And a bunch of other of other companies long before Apples tablet was a thought). Second, I use my Surface Pro 4 100% of the time as a touch screen device, as you probably know its full Windows, it works great so not sure what your talking about the touch not working (well). Even my Apple loving wife likes to use my Surface so much that when the Surface Pro 5 comes out we are getting her one.
Just read your comment zooming on Edge with my fingers on a Dell AIO 24" ;)
I disagree somehow. UWP is not made for touch, it's made for all categories. Sure, there are features missing, like native menubars or better responsive design. But it's already pretty good for desktop apps. Sure it cannot replace WPF right now, since a lot of features are missing. But nobody ever said, you must use touch with UWP. For desktop applications I never heard that touch is the recommended interface - but it might give some benefits on certain setups (like Surface PC). On my laptop I would like this even more in certain situations since it's easier to reach. On XBox where also UWP may be used, touch is not even an option, since most TVs don't support touch ;)
I think what you do mean is, most app developers (even Microsoft in some apps) do touch first development. This is the bad thing, but not a problem made by UWP. And I think the future is one app for all types of devices than special apps for every device.
hmm looking at the size of the hands in ralationship to this dual screen device design. This seems to me to be a dual sceen tablet design as opposed to a smart phone but it is not impossiable to put a smart phone and tablet together in one device. Windows 10 mobile can be put on a 9 inch tablet if a Microsoft OEM partner or Microsoft wants to do so. Come to think of it there was a "Q7" -7 inch Windows smart phone prototype at one of the CES events but this device was to be sold in the Chinese Market place not in America. a dual screen 7 inch Microsoft Windows tablet is not impossible. enough People would buy them to make it worth having manufactured and sold in the market place
Surface this, Surface that. It is good Microsoft is imparting us information about the device which isn't a bad thing. 2018 is not going to be tomorrow. Microsoft must update the current phones 950 and XL, 650 and 550 while we are holding on for the Surface phone please. I imagine a 2017 lumia 650 having snapdragon 650, 5. 5"1080p screen, 18mp tri- Led flash with pureview technology and more, USB type C, finger print scanner +iris. That is what Microsoft should be taking about not that Surface phone news isn't major league.
How would they "update the current phones"? It's pretty clear that the Lumia line is dead. If you're speaking instead of the OS, they'll continue on improving it I'm sure.
Folks not many people are buying Windows smart phones these days I have one and am looking for well made Microsoft one. Microsoft's mobile device strength is in PC tablets not smart phones. So it would be a good thing for them to make a Mini Surface Tablet that can be a Smart phones & also run Desktop PC Programs, best run in it's continuum mode. Microsoft has developed the x86 emulation software that allows ARMS CPU'S to run full Desktop Win 32 Programs so it can make the Smartphone Tablet Hybrid device. This device wont be for everyone but it will be more powerful and useful than any smart phone because it's a smart phone and if you want a PC too. Since not many people are buying Windows smart phones this product is a better one for them to take to the market place because it's more than a regular smart phones. It's a PC when you want it to be. Hopefully developers will make programs to use the full potential of this type of device. the question is can Miceosoft get devlopers to make apps and full win32 PC programs to use on this powerful device
All specualtion at this point. I would like to see a Pocket Surface. With a front 5" screen for phone calls, texting, Facebook posts, WhatsApp etc for use with fingers. Then a foldable 10" screen on the inside with a DS sized pen that slides away in the base. With full Windows 10 desktop on it. Qualcomm are committed to bringing full Windows 10 ARM. So I don't see why MS wouldn't utilize this strength of which current Mobile OS cannot compete.
A 10" screen is huge folded in half. It would be thick and heavy in phone mode. The phone screen would need to be way bigger than 5" to fill it too. It will be 5-10 years before such a device would be feasible. Windows will be completely irrelevant by then. Not just in decline like today.
Have you seen how thin 6" phones are today? Also Windows is NOT in decline. Over 2.4 billion unique users used Windows in 2016. Compare that to around 500 million unique users of Android. Windows 10 also sold more tablets than either IOS or Android. So much so Samsung have shifter their attention to Windows 10 tablets. The current mobile market is stagnant. And is desperately awaiting the next era.
You made all that up. You cannot cite a single thing you said.
Over 1 billion Android Phones were sold in 2016. How do you explain there are only 500 unique users? Google claimed 1.4 billion in 2015. You think that number dropped after selling 1 billion devices per year?
http://www.androidcentral.com/google-says-there-are-now-14-billion-activ...
Windows is not 2.4 billion users unless they are off the grid, which might then be true. Microsoft says Windows 10 is 30% and 400 million users (and dropping/not growing). Easy math tells us Windows is about 1.3 billion, but the issue is only 400 million have access to UWP and that number isn't growing. It might actually be dropping. If that isn't Windows declining, I don't know what is.
https://betanews.com/2016/10/01/wtf-windows-10-losing-share/
windows has still over 2 billions user worldwide..admit it.
in india alone there is over 500 millions pc.
Can you cite that number? The closest I see is 1.25 billion, but that was in 2011. Makes sense though when you see Microsoft claim Windows 10 is 30% of Windows devices and there are 400 million. 2 billion doesn't make sense.
http://www.businessinsider.com/right-now-there-are-125-billion-windows-p...
That doesn't look very appealing... It will be too bulky...
When it's real, then I will want it....till then, I want a Unicorn.
App gap. Hardware advances are great, but without the apps, innovative hardware won't matter, IMO.
That is all.
Yes and no, like the chicken before the egg, maybe having great hardware like this - Windows 10 mobile that folds to a Windows 10 full Windows tablet will bring more people, and I hope that would bring more developers to UWP. Right now devs make an app they have a 4 million device audience so this + the end of Windows 7 & 8 support will slowly bring more and more over to Windows 10.
Agree, Jason, that it's definitely a chicken-and-egg thing. As I've said in other posts though, it seems to me that the easiest way to entice developers to the platform is to go all in on Islandwood and make it simple for iOS developers to bring their existing and future apps to Windows 10. I think that's more realistic than trying to have iOS and even Android developers learn C# and duplicate their development efforts no matter how good the new hardware may be. These apps plus this great new hardware like the "cellular PC" may be just the ticket to building the necessary critical mass for the platform.
Nokia N9500i was a nice phone though.
This again? Or is this a different design?
Wow! great video. Will be awesome if Microsoft can pull it off. Considering how quiet things in the MS world are marketing wise; who knows, this might be the next step in the evolution. I'm in. Would love to replace my band 2 with what the girls in video had.
Microsoft u dont have to worry about future....1st increase number of products...increase our family....i.e. Windows phone, surface, laptops etc. Devices...
This is a much better solution than foldable screens - cleaner, easier to pull off, lots of value as tablet ot mini-laptop with glass keyboard. Maybe this is destined to be the first WOA device?
I love the idea of Windows 8 one OS and it's up to the device to have enough horse power for the app. Crapple had success with OS and iOS but, it's NOT the ideal platform for users & developers alike.
At what cost?
Without successful UWP platform(apps) WP phone or whatever you want to call it WILL NOT take flight. MS can make a device like the Tony Stark one and people still won't buy into it without apps. If you drive a EV which is going to take flight, there is no way you switch to W10 for example.
Awesome.
The only thing I am concerned about is the implementation; microsoft needs to get it together for the user interface on tablet mode for future devices. Also they need to get it right in the first try, as they wont get a second chance with android and ios on its tail.
Another thing is app situation, microsoft has to push really hard to get as many developers as possible by giving them greater benefits or something of that sort to attract them.
I am pretty sure they already have a plan, I just hope it works. Dont want to see them struggle any more
You think Android won't be first with this? How is Microsoft going to beat Samsung to market?
Maybe because Samsung is focusing on phones and Microsoft is focusing on a PC?.... Entirely different use cases and they are not directly competing. And I have yet to even see Samsung promote a foldable screen, where is their future vision video?
https://www.cnet.com/news/samsung-seen-unveiling-foldable-phone-in-third...
Samsung doesn't need those videos. They do not have to try and seem relevant.
We will see if Microsoft is able to release such a device and if it will flop like all the others.
Eh, who needs you bleached. You should really go to your Samsung pals and talk up how great everything is over there.
Microsoft is a bummer, right?
Oh bleached, you are so much fun to mess with :)
I appreciate your opinion but Just saying, we need a community that accepts criticism a bit more open heartedly. So people like bleached are required. I know his opinion might not be same as you. But we Windows fans need to acknowledge criticism where its due.
also I dont know any of your previous experiences.
It's something that Mr.Mobile ( Michael fisher) mentioned once that the main problem with windows mobile is its fans, some of us are agressive to defend the shortcomings and I agree on that.
Peace
when people like bleached called over 2 billions pc user niche then there is no point in accepting his opinion..
I agree, but microsoft cant just depend on pc, as people dont buy pc every year or even every 2 yrs. The cycle for buying a laptop or a pc is getting greater and greater and I am sure microsoft knows that. They have to get somethingin the market that at least makes up for that.
If there are 2 billion Windows PCs, how can Windows 10 be 30% and 400 million devices? That math doesn't add up.
See it doesn't matter with samsung; they are just an OEM. if microsoft is able to make a great product, samsung will release a product with wimdows 10 mobile(pocket pc) like they did with samsung galaxy tab which is inspired from surface pro 4. But for that to happen, microsoft needs a efficient OS. I am not even considering the app gap. No one knows what the future holds with AI and web apps with notifications. So I believe just like 8.1 microsoft should make an efficient OS that is on par with ios and android when it comes with app opening speed and feature. That is what got 8.1 to be successful.
Like a book where, when open, the pages curve in to the spine creating a shadow line. So you can't see where the pages touch or in the case of a device you can see where the two displays touch. No bezel, just a shadow line.
When is Microsoft band come out
This is not the Surface Fone...It is the Surface Fold...
It is a two-hand device! not my idea of a cell phone.
The screen is huge for a phone. If you campare the size of two hands holding it and the dual screen, it's at least 8"-9" diagnal for each screen!
Hope it materializes with success....But for a phone I pass.
It can be use in phone mode "folded" with one hand.
Previous patents from MS have showed another single screen on the outside of the device. Perhaps for use for minimal tasks like Texting, Facebook posts and Phone calls. The inside display which folds out would be a full Windows 10 desktop. 5" front screen, 10" foldable screen. But its all specualtion at this point.
We are at least 10 years away from foldable phones. They can barely make curved phones now. Making a foldable phone that will preserve high resolution and pack some serious hardware is near impossible now, especially for Microsoft. Yes, we've seen prototypes and concepts, but it's far from consumer-ready product.
10 years is a loooong time.
I don't see a foldable screen, to me it seems like that is 2 screens that when you fold it out they line up. But just my opinion.
I read this twice and I guess I missed it. How does this say Surface phone?
Just guessing
Fascinating concept. I really like the video. If an when MSFT finally releases a surface phone based on this concept, I will buy it in a heartbeat!!!!
Ahh, yes another foldable display patent. As much as I love the fact that Microsoft is putting some thoughts into the idea, there are really two companies that matter when it comes to this business and that's Samsung and LG. These two companies have semi-monopoly status when it comes to researching, developing and manufacturing foldable OLED and LCD. If companies want to make devices with foldable displays, it's only after one of these two companies announces, "We've cracked it," and my bet is that that announcement isn't going to be Surface Phone (it's similar to how curved screens became a thing after Samsung's Galaxy S6 Edge). So unless we see a pretty convincing evidence that Microsoft is contacting with these two companies for the technology, such a patent is more or less a concept on paper.
Did you read the news? It talks about a foldable device using two screen instead of a foldable display.
Anyway there were months ago reports Microsoft(and Apple) were talking with LG for foldable displays.
It's gonna be expensive as hell.
All good but we also need MOBILE devices - small smartphones not only bulky 5-6 inch devices :/
Surface Line is for high end hero devices that push the limits of innovation. If you want a cheap standard device HP will be making some i believe, and you can always get a Lumia 950/950XL
That's right but lack of devices for wider range of users is all this time painfull. I don't understand also why most of people thinks that smaller device must be a budget one? I'm just affraid that MS won't show antyhing mobile really. Lumia 950/XL is awful example because quality, materials and design was crap and a big shock after previous Lumia devices :/
Either that is a large tablet in the patent photo, or those are tiny hands. (cue the Trump jokes)
I hope is foldable phablet
And what will be the name of the device, Surface Origami? Lol
Surface Courier
Reminds me of the cancelled Microsoft Courier.
just revive the courier. it will be a killer device for students. let it have continuum when docked. give it a 24 hours battery life, having all that space, i bet 2 pieces of 4000mah can be fitted. in the same time keep the windows 10 phone version alive, because when i buy a phone, i want a phone, not a huge slab that will never fit my pocket
A device like this would work great with ink support.
Think wallet. Not everyone has one, until.
what is wallet?
Money! price of phone.
I thought he was talking about Surface Wallet
Couldn't this tech also be use to make truly bezel free Monitors?
Even going into the corners could be a problem but I like to imagine not having the sides for sorround work :°
Look at Surface Pro 4 compared to Origianl Surface Pro....Whatever device Surface Phone turns out to be, Microsoft will be iterating it till its near perfect. Hope they do a better job in quality control to iron out bugs before release.
Is it me, or is this more of a mini laptop with two screens? I do not believe that flexible displays are currently able to bending daily. If in the middle is a hinge, it should be capable of 360, otherwise I don't see how it would turn it into a phone. Even so, to have the display on both sides, it would be a very strong display.
In another patent they shown 3 displays phone. In that way you can have two of them "inside" and only one outside, like current smartphones in phone mode.
Vaporware
It wont work.
k
Great, a courier device 2.0!
Have noticed a couple of interesting things about the video.
1. A lot of visually appealing design cues.
2. The video succeeds in showing the ease of retrieving and editing results, but does not clearly show the ease of collecting data (perhaps the exception of throwing a basket of rovs)
3. Are we going to polute ours oceans with even more trash, adding baskets of drones to the list?
Ummmmm, it wasn't real, ever heard of fiction?
I wasn't too excited about the idea of a foldable device, but then again, I have a Mozo cover on my Lumia 650 so I need to "open" it first to use the phone so what's the difference?
I think they will let the display outside, i know is not the best thing for scratches and stuff like that, but if you have to always open for use it, it would be a foldable tablet unusable as phone.
EDIT: if they do a triple foldable screen device they can manage to have only a screen outside, like a normal phone.
They already have a patent for a triple screen device. You can fold it with one screen on the outside, or all inside.
Yes I knew, that was the reason I said that.
Bring on the surface brand to phones. It's a system seller. The name and the team creating surface are geniuses. They need a raise.
How do you know? Do you know how much they earn?
Whatever it is, they need a raise, they already made one device I have wanted from when I was a kid haha, let's see if they can do another.
Which device?
onysi, the surface line up to this point is a premium product line and actually they don't do large number of sales. MS created the line to fill voids where 3rd parties were not exploring... are they generally considered good products... yes... big sellers.... no.
Moot point. Don't need big sales if it's a billion dollar business. Plus irrelevant to his comment.
And your comment isnt entirely true. Surface 3 was not designed to be a premium product.
Please stop copying and pasting this
It's going to be thick as F&^(....
as an Apple user?
what does that have to do with the price of tea in china? I said the phone si going to be super thick in your pocket. not a good device for "mobile".
Yes probably it will be, especially for the first devices. But then they will manage to reduce thickness, look at first iphone and look at iphone 7.
As most anything microsoft and mobile it's not going to sell. only to a few hundred fanboys.
But you would have to stack 2 iphone 7s togehter, and thats not thick...and knowing microsoft, they are not going to ahve the device peices as thin as the iphone 7....
Microsoft shown us that they are paying attention to this details with surfaces. The surface studio has a very thin screen for example and the surface pro 4 is very thin. Also they can spread components of one phone in 2 (or 3) pieces, so I think they could manage to make each piece as thin as the thinnest phone on the market (5mm I think) in this way the phone would be 10/15 mm(2/3 screens) that is thicker than all current smartphones, but I would accept this compromise in order to have a 10" device in my pocket and (almost) triple battery life if I only use it in phone mode. Wouldn't you?
If it does not have app support...then NO. I would not have that device. This weekend, we were out to visit my son who is in university, he unlocks his dorm room and house with his phone and ios app, likewise, we were ordering things and unlocking our hotel room with our phones. again, none of which is even thought of on windows 10 moible. App support is the downfall of windows mobile. simple. Not hardware.
This is awesomely inspiring. Just look at how MS strives for usable, productive devices unlike other companies that just care about looks. Great!
Bring that Westworld style phone to real lifr MS!!
I still dream of a courier device.
If they could make it a phone device that has two screens on the inside and closes to show a 3rd normal phone screen on the outside that would be amazing
First person to mention Courier. I can't believe more aren't seeing this.
Foldable won't have my money 😒😏😈
So you should go for an Android or iOs phone, until all of them will be foldable of course.
And once they get foldable as well you will wonder, do I want something that just folds into a bigger screen for my os, or do I want something that folds into a full desktop os...
Haha
And of course a lot of people will choose their own os over the full destkop os.
DOES ANYONE ELSE SEE THE SURFACE DIAL, STUDIO AND HOLOLENS IN THAT VIDEO?!? 😵
And the Surface Hub, and the Band that becomes a handled device.
I can't wait for the stuff from Microsoft's awesome Future Vision videos to become real and I truly hope this will come! Really wondering what Panos Panay has up his sleeve with this!
I think first they should make a very good phone in perspective of specs, the phone's look, prove and still improve first the soap plus the speed of the system. Than when the company will get some games back they can make an ultimate portable device.
You are completely wrong.
That is case for HP
YASS. What if the writers of Westworld got a teaser glimpse of Surface and got their inspiration from there? Chills.....
There I was thinking it was just me who had that notion...
What if that was a product placement made with actual surface phones prototypes? What if you were a host?
No, no. I can't be...
it looks like nothing to me.
Oh man, that was one of the most soul-shivering scenes. I had my suspicions when the episode opened with him waking up, instead of one of the known hosts, but that line still blew me away.
At 1:45 the first appearance of the surface dial? And at 3:45 the surface studio?
Surface Hub is like that big chalk digital board. Once they can make those bigger screens cheaper.
Fingers crossed
Microsoft has already made many of the products from Productivity Future Vision video. And all turned out as a great device and has created a very positive vibe in the tech industry. Wishing all the best for this time also.
Or a miniature camshell laptop?
Hmmm when
Hmmm never.
Exactly. Never
"Soon."
I'd hate a foldable device as a personal product but then I think it would be great for work as we currently use a Lumia as our work phone (with mobile data connection barred to save money?) and an iPad Mini to do our PDF paperwork and get signatures from customers etc. A foldable Surface Phone would be an ideal replacement for those 2 devices.
How can you hate being able to go from phone factor to tablet? You can stay in phone factor most of the time.
Simply because whilst folded like a phone it will be too thick and chunky. You can't have a device with a fold out screen that's as thin as todays current smart phones
Not necessarily
That's true, but also Microsoft is out from current smarphones production is true.
I would certianly take a "chunky" phone that could work how i needed it to over a "thin" one that i had to adapt to.
Based on...?
Common sense? Physics?
Today's common sense an today's knowledge on science, but for tomorrow's is possible. If you can imagine it. Some smart people can make it real someday.
I'm sending this message with a magic box that Hittler himself will kill me for it
Battery life. Phones have gotten so thin they need thinner batteries which leads to less battery life. I would rather have a thinker phone with more battery than a thin one with less.
I haven't studied the reason for market preferences on these devices (looks, ergonomics, impact on weight, storage (purse, pocket, pack), etc.), but speaking for myself -- I like the bigger screen of a larger device; I don't like a device so big it doesn't easily fit in my front pocket, including when I'm wearing jeans. That forces me to about a 5" screen and a thin device, and even that's pushing it.
So for me, mobile device thickness is only an issue if the device is also large, because the extra thickness just makes it that much less comfortable in my pocket. If it could fold down to half the length, but twice the thickness (especially with rounded edges like the Palm Pre had), but also open up to give me a large screen, that would be a total win. The challenge, I would think, would be how seamless is it when it opens? If it feels like 2 separate screens, I'd have little to no interest, but if it really pulls off that single-screen feeling, that would be amazing.
That's what makes this patent interesting: it seems MS is very focused on preserving a single larger screen UX.
I'm guessing they are making two of them.
Yes, literally they are making only two for the entire planet. Lol...
And we all know that the CEO won't be using one.
Pretty sure he had been using the Surface Mini that never released.
You're thinking of panos
I am, ty for the correction :)
No problem
I would have most definitely purchased a Surface Mini. Especially if it is any where near the quality of a Surface Pro
Wow! Late night post!...Sneak one in and watch the comments explode😃
ikr? haha, it's 7am in the UK ;) was excited about this one, h0x0d ftw.
Dude.... I read this yesterday afternoon on Engadget. Where you been?
In a car accident :P
:(
Way to the future
Hoping for the best!
....but...but....I don't want a foldable Surface phone. I want a solid form factor like my L950 😞
HP will probably continue bringing those sorts of phones. :0
....but I want one from official Microsoft Jez
glue it together. there, fixed :)
or just break it into two and give the other half to your better half
samsung has already been showing off a working foldable phone protype to people. lets hope microsoft is further ahead than "patents".
Where is Microsoft going to get that technology? They have to get in line with everyone else. Samsung will almost certainly be first to market with foldable displays and it will take years before they are any good.
Exactly. Samsung or MS, such devices will always be failures. Massive headaches for the customer as well as the after sales guys !
Microsoft, Apple and Google have all signed with LG to use their foldable screen. Surface Phone definitely needs foldable screen to be successful. It would provide enough screen real estate (8" tablet when unfolded?) needed for running full W10 UWP, Win32 and web apps. The needs for WP apps will thus be greatly reduced. The foldable screen becomes a PC display you carry in your pocket at all time. Continuum is great, but you need to have a separate display or a Lapddock to make it useful.
https://mspoweruser.com/microsoft-said-one-lgs-first-customers-new-folda...
Legacy Windows apps cannot replace mobile apps. They are from a different time and do not meet the same needs. A kludge isn't going to make people want to switch.
No but legacy windows apps don't need to be on mobile so that's irrelevant. What a foldable screen could do is allow people to bring their Windows 10 PC with them in their pocket, and then suddenly developers have a reason to develop mobile apps for it.
They would need to sell so many for that scenario. Windows is nearing irrelevance for consumers. It will be a tough sell.
Windows is nearing irrelevance? I guess you forgot to tell the hundreds of millions of people using. According to this page Windows still has 77% of the OS market worldwide.
https://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp
Ya, real close to irrelevance. Riiiiiiight.
That is a for a single website for learning programming. Of course it is going to be mostly desktop users.
Overall, mobile surpassed desktop last fall. Windows sales have been dropping for the last 5 years straight. It is becoming irrelevant for consumers.
http://www.pcmag.com/news/349282/mobile-internet-use-surpasses-desktop-b...
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/3002448/pc-sales-down-in-2016-a...
Valid point about the programmers site but even non programming sites confirm that Windows is still the most widely used operating system. More widely used than Android or iOS or anything else. So if Windows is "irrelevant" then what does that make the others?
That PCMag link shows that mobile use surpassed desktop last fall. Android and iOS outsell Windows 4:1 so Windows stats can only drop more. As mobile devices get more powerful and the software on them gets better, it is only a matter of time before Windows is relegated to only professionals who need powerful systems for work.
If the Galaxy S8 is a hit, it might make a big dent in Windows.
So you're combining iOS and Android to prove that Windows is irrelevant? Talk about making stats work in your favour.
Sorry. iPhone itself outsells all Windows devices combined and Android outsells Windows 3:1. Is that better?
Yes, that's better. Now one more thing. Admit that you can't predict the future based on current trends.
Only if Microsoft makes changes and brings something new. More of the same will not change the trend.
You're exactly right. Thankfully for Microsoft, in the tech world, things never stay the same.
Why would you want a full blown windows pc on 8 inches? Makes no sense. A lot of people keep rambling about this but technology is nowhere near good enough to make that work. Especially not in a mobile device - unless you want to haul around a backpack full of batteries as well.
Whether the technology can make it work or not is their problem. The question is, if they do make it work, will people want it?
Samsung showed off a device with a foldable screen. This device would be a dual screen ala Nintendo DS, Acer Iconic, MS Courier.
Well, one things for sure. As far as new devices go, based on the recent lack of transparency from Warton Brooks, the team must not have been too please with the way fans handled that last attempt at updating the community on their endeavor.
@Kenzibit don't ruin it for the rest of us! :P :O.
😂😂
Well, something is definitely coming, in one way, or another.... I just can't wait to find out what it is, and when.. But, I did ask for a glimpse/hint of something, ANYTHING, the other day, and I got it. This will have to hold us over for a bit.
The strenght of Windows Mobile is Continuum and will be even more with cshell bringing exactly the same experience across desktop and mobile. The problem of Continuum is that it needs external bigger display. This solution allow to bring always with you that big display you need. A solid form factor with windows mobile is been rejected by the market.
It's still not that big lol. It's more a switch between a phone and a mini tablet.
Previous patent says 6 inches phone -> 10 inches tablet like surface 3 .
its big and looks bulky
and how much will it cost?? It wont be cheap.. and then again, who will buy it? And what if you drop it? The whole open/close/slide mechanism will fall apart... looks like a very expensive toy for tech geeks
They will not do just another phone, so what do you suggest?
(I will buy it)
Microsoft will not be first with a foldable device. They don't have the manufacturing capabilities to pull it off. They will need to buy it from LG, which will put them in competition with Apple for the initial run.
Samsung will beat them all.
Did you read the news? Is about foldable devices without using foldable displays. Also if they will not be the first, they have something unique (UWP, Cshell) that others cannot have. I would be not surprise if samsung would choose windows for its foldable device, since it would be also a tablet and on tablets Samsung showed a growing preference on windows over android.
Android has had universal apps and and a composable shell for years. Microsoft is well behind in this. This will be a phone first, no way Samsung will go with Windows when they already have Touchwiz.
Not like they came up with the Surface, Surface Studio, etc. all on their own and manufactured it without someone releasing it first.
So? Those devices didn't grow the platform. It is still shrinking.
If its the surface team is argue Samsung are nowhere near as good at hardware as them.
They are about the same if you ask me. High end Samsung devices are just as nice as Surface.
I would buy it also, it is exactly what I want from the fabled Surface phone. Windows mobile, fold it out and now you got full Windows 10 tablet. My vision of the Surface phone is it replaces my phone and my pro 4.
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