Xiaomi combines Mate XS, Galaxy Fold, Mi Mix Alpha for this foldable patent
TL; DR
- A new Xiaomi patent has revealed a rather unique foldable phone design.
- The foldable design has a collapsible design that is similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Fold line.
- It also features a Mate XS style camera grip and wraparound screen like the Mi Mix Alpha.
Xiaomi launched its first foldable phone called Mi Mix Fold this year. And it’s a pretty solid design that is reminiscent of the Galaxy Fold line. Now a new patent application indicates that the manufacturer is thinking outside the box for a new foldable device.
Xiaomi already filed a patent with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) in February 2020, with the documents published today and by. were discovered Let’s go digital. The attached patent drawings show a phone that was inspired by several locations.
For starters, there is a retractable design as popularized by Samsung’s Galaxy Fold series. This is supposed to protect the foldable main screen from scratches and other damage, at least until foldable gorilla glass becomes a commercial reality.
We also have a camera grip / frame that is similar to the Huawei Mate XS camera frame. This particular implementation suggests that the same selfie cameras will be used regardless of whether you are in tablet or smartphone mode. This frame could theoretically also serve as a handle to hold the device, as was the case with Huawei’s earlier foldables.
Other images discovered in the patent application also suggest that the foldable device has more cameras on the back of the camera frame, allowing you to take rear-facing shots in smartphone mode.
After all, it looks like Xiaomi has turned to the Mi Mix Alpha concept phone for the smartphone screen. As you can see, the foldable main screen actually encloses the right edge, going from the inside to the outside, thereby forming the smartphone display (as seen in the picture shown). We have reservations about this as it is unclear whether the external screen would be as fragile as the foldable display.
Nonetheless, this Xiaomi foldable phone design is only a patent and there are no guarantees that this will actually become a commercial product. But we wouldn’t mind seeing more versatile phone designs in general.
