ZTE recently launched a foldable smartphone in the Axon M, and Samsung has said that it's planning to launch its own foldable phone in 2019. Now it looks like LG may be getting into the foldable smartphone game, too.
LG has filed for a patent related to a foldable phone with a flexible display. The patent was filed on July 7, 2017 and published on January 12, 2018.
The patent shows two different designs for this foldable device. The first (above) shows a phone that can be unfolded to show a large display and when folded up, it can display information on its back.
The second design (below) is similar in that the device can be unfolded to show a large display and then folded up to reduce its size. The difference with the second design is that when the phone is folded, there appears to be a small sliver of screen still shown that can be used to display the time and other info.
There's been some interest in foldable phones from companies like ZTE and Samsung, so it's no surprise to learn that LG is considering that form factor, too. It does have its benefits, like being able to offer users a bigger display when they want it but then folding the phone into a smaller footprint when they don't need a big phone. It's unclear if we'll ever actually see a foldable smartphone from LG, but these patents show that the company is at least thinking about such a device.