Samsung's foldable tablet idea revealed in even greater detail

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2

Ever thought your tablet was too big for your bag? Samsung has filed more patents which could see slates that fold and fit in your pocket.

It would allow for a large screen tablet to fold over in half, much like a book. The patent features a side-screen similar to that from a Samsung Galaxy Edge phone.

That may mean you'd be able to customise the shortcuts included on the side of the phone.

The new patent describes how the technology would allow the user to enter different modes when unfolding the tablet. For example, if you wanted to boot the camera app you'd be able to press on a certain part of a side screen to unlock it.

It also shows a way to unlock the tablet with a passcode down the side screen of the tablet.

Snap it back

The patent has also revealed a new technology called floating screen.

The idea would be to make an image appear between the two sides of the screen so you won't need to snap the tablet out fully to check your notifications. How exactly that would work is currently unclear.

Foldable

Don't expect the Galaxy Tab S3 to have this on board – but it's an interesting application of foldable screens and Samsung did file this patent back in November 2015.

This isn't the first time we've seen patents for foldable tablets though - one rumor even dates back to November 2013.

It may one day mean you'll have a 10-inch tablet that can actually fit in your pocket just like your phone.

Via Patently Mobile

TOPICS
James Peckham

James is the Editor-in-Chief at Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.

Latest in Tablets
iPad Air M3 11-inch and 13-inch on an orange background next to TechRadar deals price cut badge
Wait, what? The brand-new iPad Air just launched and it's already on sale on Amazon
Amazon Fire 7 tablet
Need a super-cheap tablet? The Amazon Fire 7 has dropped to $44.99
Three photos of the iPad Air M3 and its camera
iPad Air M3 review roundup – should you buy Apple's new mid-range tablet?
iPad Pro 13-inch 2024 on a table
The OLED iPad Pro is reportedly less popular than expected – and that could mean these changes to Apple's OLED iPad plans
Apple iPad Air 11-inch M3 (2025) Review
I tested the 11-inch iPad Air with M3 for five days, and it stretches the value even further with more power for the same price
The Honor Pad V9 on a bronze table.
The Honor Pad V9 is the mid-range, Android-powered iPad rival you've been looking for
Latest in News
A super close up image of the Google Gemini app in the Play Store
It's official: Google Assistant will be retired for phones this year, with Gemini taking over
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 16 (game #1147)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, March 16 (game #378)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, March 16 (game #644)
Three iPhone 16 handsets on show
Apple could launch an iPhone 17 Ultra this year – but we've heard these rumors before
Super Mario Odyssey
ChatGPT is the ultimate gaming tool - here's 4 ways you can use AI to help with your next playthrough