We hope this HUAWEI foldable phone patent doesn't result in a real product

Huawei and Samsung have two different takes on the premium foldable phone formula, but a patent filing unearthed by LetsGoDigital shows HUAWEI is thinking about Samsung’s form factor.

Huawei’s Mate X and Mate XS have tablet-sized screens that can be folded in half, with one half of this screen being used for the smartphone display. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Fold has a smartphone screen on the outside, but unfolding the device reveals a separate tablet-sized display on the inside.

However, a HUAWEI foldable phone patent spotted by LetsGoDigital shows a Galaxy Fold-style device, featuring a tablet screen when unfolded and a separate smartphone screen on the outside when folded. Check out the images below.

There is one major difference between the Galaxy Fold and the HUAWEI foldable phone patent though, and that’s the fact that the main camera housing on the HUAWEI design is on the same side as the smartphone screen. This means you don’t need separate selfie cameras when in smartphone mode. Unfortunately, it also suggests that you need to switch to tablet mode to take photos of something other than yourself.

It’s an interesting approach, but it seems more sensible to add a notch or cutout for selfie cameras instead while shifting the main camera housing to the back again. It’s also worth noting that the smartphone screen seems extremely narrow compared to traditional phone displays, owing to the camera housing.

Nevertheless, patent filings don’t necessarily translate to commercial products. So this could just be a case of HUAWEI thinking out aloud, in a manner of speaking. Well, we hope this doesn’t reflect an upcoming product.