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Huawei might introduce an asymmetrical foldable smartphone someday

By Minjun Park
2 min read
Huawei
Huawei
In this article (5)

Foldable smartphones are becoming more popular with each new model introduced by different manufacturers. Samsung launched its Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 last month, Google unveiled its Pixel Fold back in May, and Huawei launched its Mate X3 internationally around the same time. Now, it looks like the latter is working on something a bit different when it comes to foldable smartphones.

Blogger Jerrold_tech posted on Weibo what they say are pictures of patented designs for Huawei’s future folding phone. The images reveal an innovative type of foldable phone featuring asymmetrical halves, where the left side is taller than the right side.

Unlike all other foldable smartphones currently available, this patent unveils a design in which the two halves are of different sizes when the phone is unfolded. This difference seems to come from the camera position, which is not in the usual spot at the back of the phone. When the phone is unfolded, the camera resides in the upper left corner, playing the role of a front-facing selfie camera. Once folded, the right panel aligns beneath this camera, enabling the latter to serve as the primary rear camera.
One of the benefits of this foldable phone’s a bit strange design is that it can use just one camera setup, no matter if the device is folded or not. The patented design also shows that one of the cameras is a Time-of-Flight (ToF) lens, so it can be used for face recognition as well.

The shared images don’t give away any more details about the patent, but if Huawei is indeed developing this new kind of foldable, it might add some variety to the foldable phone market. Since this info is all based on rumors and there’s been no official confirmation from Huawei, it’s best to take it with a pinch of skepticism. Still, it would be pretty cool to see this asymmetrical design actually come to life.

Questions & Answers

Q.

What is the primary distinguishing feature of Huawei's potential new foldable smartphone design?

A.

The patented design shows an innovative type of foldable phone with asymmetrical halves. The left side is taller than the right side, meaning the two halves are of different sizes when the phone is unfolded.

Q.

How does the asymmetrical design benefit the camera setup?

A.

One benefit is that the phone can use just a single camera setup. This camera functions as a front-facing selfie camera when unfolded, and as the primary rear camera once folded.

Q.

Where did the information about Huawei's potential asymmetrical foldable phone originate?

A.

The information comes from blogger Jerrold_tech, who posted on Weibo what they claim are pictures of patented designs for Huawei’s future folding phone. This is currently based on rumours.

Q.

What additional camera technology is mentioned in the patented design?

A.

The patented design indicates that one of the cameras is a Time-of-Flight (ToF) lens. This specific lens type can be used for features such as face recognition.

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