Samsung's intriguing patent reveals a foldable phone that can autonomously transform into a box shape.

      Samsung has been awarded a US design patent for what might be its most unconventional display idea to date.

      The patent describes a device that, when folded, takes the shape of a long rectangular brick and can unfold to create a significantly larger screen. It was submitted in January 2023 and was granted this month.

      So what does this Samsung patent actually depict?

      The patent, identified as US D1,130,402 S, has been issued to Samsung Display, the display division of Samsung Electronics. It pertains to the design of what is simply referred to as a “display device.”

      From the illustrations, the device in its rolled form resembles a thick, extended brick featuring display panels tightly wrapped around its body. There is also a visible mechanism at one end. When unrolled, those panels spread out, forming what looks like a much larger flat display.

      The patent consists of 14 drawing sheets that present the device from multiple perspectives, both in folded and unfolded configurations. Remember, this is a design patent, which only focuses on the appearance of the device. The drawings do not provide details about the materials used or its durability.

      Does this imply that Samsung is genuinely developing a brick phone?

      The allure of fitting such a large screen into a pocketable form could be significant. However, there is often a long path from a design patent filed in 2023 to an actual product available for purchase.

      Based on experience, only a select few of these patents ever reach the market. Samsung has been investigating foldable and rollable display technologies for several years. This new concept seems to merge both technologies into a single device, although it does not come across as a meticulously planned product to me.

      This development is certainly worth monitoring, but don’t empty your pockets just yet.