The folding battery concept is detailed in a patent filed in the US by Samsung. — Samsung
Samsung could be developing a battery specially adapted to foldable smartphones, to save space and optimise performance. The idea is that it too could be foldable, integrating seamlessly into the phone’s mechanism.
Samsung has quietly filed a new patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a “foldable battery” and the “electronic device including same”. According to VeePN, this technology could be introduced from as early as 2025 on a device that folds in three.
The South Korean manufacturer is thus embarking on a major challenge, echoing the Huawei Mate XT, released this year exclusively in China. This is the first device of its kind, featuring two hinges that allow it to fold into a Z-shape to take on the form of a smartphone.
Samsung is embarking on an unprecedented technological challenge. Its patent describes a single-cell battery with three folding points, designed to adapt specifically to the (complex) mechanism of foldable devices.
To achieve this, the battery would be formed from flexible materials, such as conductive polymers and other advanced composites, enabling repeated folding and unfolding without compromising either structure or performance.
The aim of this research is to optimise the interior space taken up by batteries powering foldable devices. Compared to a conventional smartphone, this space is reduced by the presence of hinges. However, the cost of materials is unlikely to help bring down the price of folding smartphones, which is essential if they are to appeal to the mass market and no longer be a niche product.
Indeed, this initiative comes at a time when the market for foldable smartphone has seen its first fall in sales, with a 1% drop in the third quarter of 2024 compared with the same period the previous year, according to Counterpoint Research.
Samsung, despite a dramatic 21% year-on-year drop in shipments over the quarter, remains the undisputed market leader. But with its latest models – the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 – struggling to win over consumers, the manufacturer needs to innovate to revive consumer interest.
The potential arrival of a tri-fold smartphone with a revolutionary battery could cause a sensation. But so far, Samsung hasn’t said anything official about this project. Consumers will therefore have to hope that it doesn’t remain at the patent stage. – AFP Relaxnews
