At Dawn Ellmore we’ve covered so many exciting patents during 2018, from flying cars to multiple smartphone developments. As we move into a new year, we thought we’d look at some of the patents that might turn into real-life products in 2019.
Of course, it’s not possible to tell with many of the hugely innovative patents that we see every year. Lots of the tech giants, such as Google, Facebook and Apple are granted thousands of patents that don’t make it any further. However, the smartphone market tends to give more clues as to what we’re likely to see in 2019.
Possible new products from past patents
It appears that 2019 could be the year that we finally see foldable smartphones on the market. There’s the Samsung Galaxy X (or possibly Galaxy F) and the possible reboot of the old classic Motorola Razr. There have been some demos released, but few have much information readily available. Here’s what we found.
Samsung Galaxy X
Following a demo at the company’s developer conference, we have a marginally clearer idea of what the Samsung Galaxy X might look like. From what we’ve seen, it looks small and chunkier than expected. The fact that there seem to be no devices available to the media suggests that the design could still evolve.
Samsung has confirmed that the long-awaited flexible screen is called the “Infinity Flex Display”, and that they intend to use it on multiple devices. We still don’t know what the new phone will be called, but rumours suggest that Samsung Galaxy X is the most likely.
As far as tech experts can tell, the front of the Samsung Galaxy X will boast two screens measuring 4.6 inches. When the device is folded, it will turn into a tablet with a screen measurement of 7.29 inches. The rear of the smartphone has another screen at 3.5 inches, which allow it to be used and viewed when folded. The smartphone appears to work using various intricate hinge mechanisms.
The best way to think of the new gadget is a hybrid between tablet and phone, and it’s possible because of Samsung’s new ‘One UI’ Software. From our research, it looks as though an official launch could come at CES 2019 in January or February’s MWC 2019, but it will be a further wait for it to go on sale. Price rumours are hovering at around $1,400 minimum, which is around £1,112. As usual, early adopters of innovative products don’t get them cheap!
Motorola Razr reboot
A patent filed by Motorola and uncovered by LetsGoDigital shows a foldable smartphone. It also appears to be incorporating the iconic Motorola Razr branding. The Razr took the mobile phone market by storm a decade ago, and it looks like Motorola is trying again.
Rumours have been in place for a while about the Motorola Razr’s comeback. In February 2017, CEO of Lenovo (owner of Motorola) Yang Yuanqing told TechRader that: “With the new technology, particularly foldable screens, I think you will see more and more innovation on our smartphone design. So hopefully what you just described [the Motorola Razr brand] will be developed or realised very soon.”
The patent filed by Motorola shows two cameras with hinges at the middle, top and bottom, which can be propped up in a tent-shaped display mode. There are no images out there yet, but it will be exciting to see it develop through 2019.
LG’s folding smartphone
We’ve covered a number of LG patents, as the innovate smartphone developer is always at the forefront of development. Recently, LG confirmed it is developing foldable phones, although we’re light on details. It could be that LG will be leasing its designs out to other smartphone manufacturers.
There are some clues in LG’s patent filed with WIPO in January 2018, which shows two screens rather than the three as shown by Samsung. It’s possible that one of the screens will use a transparent portion, or there could be a camera system imbedded onto the back. Since the patent filing, names like Foldi, Duplex and Flex have been mentioned in documentation from LG. We don’t know what it will look like or how much it could cost, but it’s possible that we’ll see a launch in late 2019.
One thing’s for certain, 2019 looks to be an exciting year for smartphone patents becoming reality.
About Dawn Ellmore Employment
Dawn Ellmore Employment was incorporated in 1995 and is a market leader in intellectual property and legal recruitment.
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