Samsung is working on a rollable smartphone that can expand vertically, turning a small gadget into a full-sized screen.
In a patent discovered by DomoAI in partnership with tipster David from @xleaks7, sketches offer a glimpse of Samsung's potential smartphone that could roll vertically.
The new leak comes on the heels of the US Patent and Trademark Office awarding Samsung a design patent for a rollable smartphone featuring a 360-degree hinge that can bend inwards and outwards.
The design of the phone is detailed in the new patent and it is anticipated that it would launch as a small phone with a larger screen that stretches vertically. The dual-lens setup on the back, as hinted in the patent, looks identical to that of the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
Samsung's design reveals a vertically expanding display, in contrast to other rollable designs that extend sideways. This can enable the phone to stay small in a user's pocket while providing a larger, more engaging screen when required.
According to the patent, the phone's body is thicker than normal, probably to accommodate the rolling system, and the front panel has thin bezels with a little prominent chin.
The screen size in its entirety is still unknown because the patent does not show the rollable device fully unrolled. The patent filing also doesn't provide any possible specifications, but it will likely boast premium tech, like the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold series, with top-tier processors.
Samsung has already unveiled a horizontally extending rollable phone prototype. As is the case with many patents, it is unclear if a vertical rollable phone is a commercially feasible option, even though Samsung may have already figured out how to make a phone with a rollable display.
While earlier reports have claimed that Samsung may introduce a rollable phone in 2025, the release will probably be delayed due to cost and economic considerations. The vertically rolling smartphone project is still in its early stages and is not expected to launch this year.
Yet, with the speed at which Samsung is patenting the technology, it looks like the first rollable smartphone will likely come from the Samsung stable.
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