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New LG patent shows off a foldable phone/tablet hybrid device
July 16, 2025
Folding devices could be the next big trend, and it looks like LG is jumping on board too. The company just had a patent issued by theWorld Intellectual Property Organizationthat shows a hybrid device that can be used as a phone or a tablet. The patent describes the device as a “mobile phone with a flexible display which can be folded in half.”
The patent covers two different designs. The first foldable phone has a camera on the back panel, and when folded, can display information on the front screen. LG already uses an always-on display in its flagships, and this could be another way to implement that into a folding phone design.
The second design looks almost identical to the first. The biggest difference is on the rear of the device. A portion of the back moves to the side to reveal information like the time. The patent filing states this portion of the rear cover is transparent, which sounds pretty interesting.
Just because LG has filed for this patent doesn’t mean the company will ever make a foldable phone. Companies file patents all the time for every crazy idea they think up. However, it’s only a matter of time before bendable and foldable devices become a reality. RivalSamsungis moving forward on a similar deviceaccording to company executives, andZTEalready (sort of) has one on the market, theZTE Axon M. The patents show a device that opens side to side like the Axon M, but a full screen display, like the rumoredSamsung Galaxy X. If LG can pull this off, it could be the perfect hybrid device.
What do you think about this design? Let us know down in the comments.
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