There are a lot of strange ideas out there that might never come to pass. We discovered an interesting Samsung Electronics patent application there for a candy-bar smartphone with a second, transparent display on the back. Although additional rear-facing panels for smartphones are not totally innovative, Samsung’s strategy offers many unique benefits as stated in their most recent design patent.
A most current WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) patent application was uncovered on August 25. It was filed in January of this year. With the exception of a back-facing display that is effectively invisible (or blends in with the rest of the rear panel) when the phone is completely or partially off, it depicts a stiff smartphone with an inconspicuous appearance.
Some readers may remember that ZTE, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer, made a similar attempt a few years back when it unveiled the Nubia X and Nubia Z20. Most devices, however, lacked a clear rear-facing display. Instead, they used a back glass panel that was more opaque to cover a standard rear-facing screen while it wasn’t in use. In its most fundamental form, ZTE’s outdated technology is similar to the cover screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 4.
In comparison, a product with a transparent display that appears to be able to switch on entirely or partially is described in a recent patent application from Samsung. This device is probably similar to an Always-on-Display. It might be customised in countless ways and be used to display brands, unique designs, information at a glance, etc.
Transparent rear display on a Samsung Galaxy phone
The fact that the patent application is legitimate shows that Samsung’s engineers have at least considered using this kind of technology in a Galaxy smartphone. But as usual, it depends on market demand whether a patented invention is used in actual goods. This may be one of several patents held by Samsung that will never be used.
However, this technique may be used in foldable products. Although transparent rear-facing screens on Galaxy phones might not be available anytime soon, it’s not impossible for this kind of technology to appear on the mobile market in any capacity.
Overall, this patent application may provide a window into Samsung screens for specific mobile devices in the future. We wouldn’t, however, bet on the dual-screen “candy bar” design to revolutionise the Galaxy smartphone portfolio any time soon.
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