Lenovo, on the other hand, has actually created functioning prototypes
of a foldable tablet which was brought to several trade shows in past years.
This would be the much - anticipated Surface phone, and would have a form factor similar to a type
of foldable tablet.
For 2015, a prototype
of a foldable tablet that can fold the screen twice from a 8 / 9 - inch tablet into a 4 / 5 - inch smartphone have been rumored to undergo development.
Lenovo's Folio tablet isn't coming out any time soon, but shows what a future
of foldable tablets and smartphones might look like.
Not exact matches
An old Motorola patent for a
foldable tablet phone has hit the news and gained press coverage the last few days, though the patent sketches reveals less than the actual real picture
of the
tablet already does.
After going through the patents for the 8 speaker iPad yesterday, I had to take another look at the various design patents for
foldable tablets too, since patents have so far been a good indicator
of what companies are up to what in the
foldable tablet space.
The prospect
of a
foldable Microsoft
tablet got more interesting in October when it suddenly was seen as credible that the patents Microsoft have filed on various designs for
foldable tablets, were more than just patents.
But instead
of being a
foldable one - screen
tablet that can flex and fold in the middle, the latest evidence suggests that Samsung Galaxy X will be a dual - screen... more...
Microsoft Newest
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Of All
Tablets, Best
Of Windows 8 Tablets Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Docking Station Taking Orders First Microsoft Surface Mini Called Off Permanently Surface Pro 3 Updates Increase Battery Life In Connected Standby Microsoft Surface Mini Confirmed But Still Not Coming, Yet Download Windows 8 Evaluation For Free Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Pre-Order Starts And Release June 20 And August 31 Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Complete Specifications Pre-Order Microsoft Surface Pro 3 From May 21 Ahead Of Release May 20 Microsoft Surface Event — Surface Mini Unveiling Windows 8 Tablets Under $ 200 In 2014 Office 365 Personal — Office Subscription On Monthly Basis Microsoft Surface Mini Status April 2014 Ears For Microsoft Surface Increase Volume Windows Now Free For Tablets And Smartphones Microsoft Office For iPad Launched Microsoft Surface 2 4G LTE Launch March 18 Microsoft Surface Power Cover Cheap Dell 8 Pro, Surface in Stock, Free Nokia Lumia 1520 HP Pavilion 13 x2, Envy Touchsmart, Nokia 1520 Microsoft Surface 2 On Sale December 14 Microsoft's 12 Days of Deals: December 9 — December 20 Where To Get Surface On Sale In Decembe
Of Windows 8
Tablets Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Docking Station Taking Orders First Microsoft Surface Mini Called Off Permanently Surface Pro 3 Updates Increase Battery Life In Connected Standby Microsoft Surface Mini Confirmed But Still Not Coming, Yet Download Windows 8 Evaluation For Free Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Pre-Order Starts And Release June 20 And August 31 Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Complete Specifications Pre-Order Microsoft Surface Pro 3 From May 21 Ahead
Of Release May 20 Microsoft Surface Event — Surface Mini Unveiling Windows 8 Tablets Under $ 200 In 2014 Office 365 Personal — Office Subscription On Monthly Basis Microsoft Surface Mini Status April 2014 Ears For Microsoft Surface Increase Volume Windows Now Free For Tablets And Smartphones Microsoft Office For iPad Launched Microsoft Surface 2 4G LTE Launch March 18 Microsoft Surface Power Cover Cheap Dell 8 Pro, Surface in Stock, Free Nokia Lumia 1520 HP Pavilion 13 x2, Envy Touchsmart, Nokia 1520 Microsoft Surface 2 On Sale December 14 Microsoft's 12 Days of Deals: December 9 — December 20 Where To Get Surface On Sale In Decembe
Of Release May 20 Microsoft Surface Event — Surface Mini Unveiling Windows 8
Tablets Under $ 200 In 2014 Office 365 Personal — Office Subscription On Monthly Basis Microsoft Surface Mini Status April 2014 Ears For Microsoft Surface Increase Volume Windows Now Free For
Tablets And Smartphones Microsoft Office For iPad Launched Microsoft Surface 2 4G LTE Launch March 18 Microsoft Surface Power Cover Cheap Dell 8 Pro, Surface in Stock, Free Nokia Lumia 1520 HP Pavilion 13 x2, Envy Touchsmart, Nokia 1520 Microsoft Surface 2 On Sale December 14 Microsoft's 12 Days
of Deals: December 9 — December 20 Where To Get Surface On Sale In Decembe
of Deals: December 9 — December 20 Where To Get Surface On Sale In December?
Samsung have been working on
foldable tablets / phones for years, on and off at various stages, and while two models technically could have been launched at the start
of the year, Samsung were soon rumored to wait until the market shifted a little while their technologies also matured more, and there were even talks
of postponing the developments
of the devices because
of reshuffles within Samsung.
But instead
of being a
foldable one - screen
tablet that can flex and fold in the middle, the latest evidence suggests that Samsung Galaxy X will be a dual - screen phone just like the
foldable dual - screen smartphone ZTE Axon M.
Since then, the first real leak or rumor from a official document in public that could possibly be pinned to Samsung as evidence
of a
foldable Samsung
tablet coming sometime soon, was the Samsung Galaxy X trademark back in February, which certainly included a
foldable mobile device category based on the official definitions
of products for the Samsung Galaxy X when filing for the trademark.
So some
of the patents originally assigned to Motorola Mobility LLC are currently assigned to Google Technology Holdings LLC, such as the specific patent on Motorola
foldable tablets below.
Related: —
Foldable Microsoft
Tablet In The Works — Possible 2018 To 2019 Launch — New Microsoft
Tablet To Launch In First Half
Of 2018
Now multiply that number with all the mobile brands currently developing
foldable tablets, and we are dealing with a pretty substantial number
of patents.
2018 - 2019 is seen as the earliest possible date, but with no particular month in particular, as no leaks have indicated any production
of a
foldable Microsoft
tablet yet.
Apple, Microsoft and Samsung are betting that the future
of the mobile phone and
tablet industry will be
foldable.
So while we await the
foldable tablets from various brands later in the year, Nintendo is about to launch something dual - screen at least in North America on January 26, with the launch
of the Pikachu Edition Nintendo New 2DS XL for $ 159: https://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-New-2DS-XL-Pikachu/ Traditional gaming console may not be the best description because the Nintendo New 2DS XL has features that shames many
tablets.
Samsung is not the first
tablet brand to experiment with foldable tablets though, as Acer had a large 14 - inch Windows 7 foldable dual screen notebook 4 years ago with the Acer Iconia 6120, while Sony had the smaller foldable tablet Sony Tablet P with Android, neither of which became much succ
tablet brand to experiment with
foldable tablets though, as Acer had a large 14 - inch Windows 7
foldable dual screen notebook 4 years ago with the Acer Iconia 6120, while Sony had the smaller
foldable tablet Sony Tablet P with Android, neither of which became much succ
tablet Sony
Tablet P with Android, neither of which became much succ
Tablet P with Android, neither
of which became much successes.
While it might not be the hottest Surface on the block these days, the Surface Pro 4 is still worth considering — even if there are rumors that a new
foldable tablet version
of the Surface might be on the way.
Bank
of America Merrill Lynch analyst Wamsi Mohan wrote in a note to clients that Apple is working with its suppliers to launch a
foldable iPhone that may double up as a
tablet.
It'll be a relatively simple matter
of adding layouts — apps will switch to a larger, «optimized» layout when the
foldable phones are in a
tablet form factor, and shrink to fit the phones» smaller views.
There is no shortage
of patents for
foldable device, be it a phone that transforms into a
tablet (or vice versa) or a phone that unfolds into an even longer phone.
Samsung introduced the Phablet and this kind
of foldable phone blurs the line between a smartphone and mini
tablet.
In addition, there are already some compelling
tablets currently in market such as the HP ElitePad 900 featuring enterprise - grade security and an optional expansion jacket that provides additional ports to connect to peripherals, the Dell Latitude 10 that offers up to 10 hours
of battery life with the optional extended battery, Acer Iconia W700 comes with a two - way cradle for easy switching between portrait and landscape use, as well as the ASUS VivoTab Smartthat has an optional TranSleeve keyboard which provides a
foldable cover, a stand, and a keyboard all in one.
A
foldable iPhone that «could potentially double up as a
tablet» is currently eyed for a 2020 launch, according to reputable Bank
of America analysts.
His comments fuelled speculation that Microsoft was working on some kind
of «breakthrough» form factor, after patents awarded to the company earlier this year showed sketches for a
foldable handset that could be opened up into a
tablet - style device.
Bloomberg's report from 2016 claimed that Samsung was working on two types
of foldable devices: one that folds inwards like a clamshell phone, and another that folds out to turn into a 7 - inch
tablet.
The dream
of a fully
foldable Samsung smartphone or
tablet continues to feel like a very distant one, despite a recent showcase
of a screen prototype.
According to my sources, Microsoft's own Andromeda device is an ARM - based
foldable tablet that features two displays joined together by a hinge mechanism in the center
of the device.
There's a good chance that a future Microsoft Surface branded mobile - type device wouldn't be powered by Windows 10 Mobile OS and the device will create a new category
of mobile -
tablet devices in
foldable form factor.
According to CNBC, the only info people are working off
of is one quote from BoA analyst Wamsi Mohan, who said, «Our checks also suggest that Apple is working with suppliers on a
foldable phone (that potentially could double up as a
tablet) for launch in 2020.»
The concept
of a
foldable phone or
tablet since several year with Samsung teasing the tech - lovers every now and then.
With the touchscreen and
foldable display, this will bridge the gap between
tablet and computer nicely, and will offer users a great mix
of both.