Xiaomi's New Patent Shows a Foldable Phone with Punch Hole Cameras

Fifty-fifty as foldable phones got off to a janky kickoff with the Galaxy Fold royally messing up Samsung'south ambitions when it started developing nasty issues earlier this yr, and Huawei delaying its foldable Mate X (which then recently got launched), companies are investing heavily into the technology and nosotros're sure to encounter a surge of foldable devices next yr.

Nevertheless, it's not but heavyweights like Samsung and Huawei who are looking to develop foldable phones for the full general consumer, a couple of months back, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi showed off a video of its foldable smartphone on Twitter, and while that device has not been launched, announced, shown-off, or otherwise mentioned by Xiaomi anywhere, a new patent that Xiaomi has been granted seems to evidence a phone similar to what nosotros saw in the video.

The patent shows off a foldable smartphone that folds in twice (one on each side), and has, co-ordinate to the patent drawings, a punch-hole photographic camera set-up. This could be Xiaomi's answer to have ultra-thin bezels on its foldable telephone, whenever (if e'er), the company decides to launch information technology.

xiaomi foldable phone patent

At that place are two cameras on the rear of the device as well, which, when unfolded sit rather far apart at the two corners of the telephone, along with cameras on the center. It definitely looks like an interesting design choice for a foldable phone.

According to rumours, the foldable Xiaomi phone may exist launched every bit the Mi Fold or the Mi Flex, but I'd suggest you take this information with a pinch of salt since these are, at the end of the day, just rumours, and we've non had any hints from the company regarding its foldable telephone. The closest nosotros got to getting anything similar that elusive foldable device the company showed off was the Mi MIX Alpha, which doesn't accept a folding display, but does take a display that wraps effectually (almost) the entire body of the phone.

While it can't be said with any certainty if Xiaomi volition launch its foldable phone, it would certainly be interesting to encounter the company'southward implementation of such a form-factor, merely as much as it would exist interesting to encounter how the visitor prices the device. We'll be keeping an eye out for more than information most Xiaomi'southward "foldable phone" ambitions, then stay tuned for more than information as it becomes available.