LG is really getting serious about returning to smartphone business, latest patent reveals
LG filed a patent for a rollable device not too long ago.
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Key notes
- LG filed a new patent in June 2024, hinting at a possible return to the mobile phone market.
- The patent focuses on making screens more durable and better for folding.
- This follows a previous patent for a rollable device, signaling LG’s interest in re-entering the mobile industry.
A newly filed patent application from LG suggests the company may be considering a return to the mobile phone market, following its shocking departure from the industry back in 2021.
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently published the 14-page document from LG in October 2024. The company filed the patent in June 2024, which allows us to speculate on the return.
Here’s the side view of the display device presented in the patent document:
This patent describes a new type of foldable display designed to fix problems with current designs, like the Samsung Galaxy Flip. The key focus is on improving how the foldable part of the screen works and making the display more durable and less prone to damage over time.
As LG mentions in the document, it does so by adding a high-stiffness support structure with opening patterns in the foldable area, using adhesive layers with varying curing levels to improve folding performance and reduce display defects.
Here’s the top view of the first support plate in the support structure and when the adhesive layer is placed on it:
“Users who watch broadcasts, videos, or play video games on a display apparatus tend to prefer a portable display apparatus with a large screen. However, when the screen of the portable display apparatus is enlarged, portability thereof is deteriorated,” says LG in the document.
LG closed its smartphone business years ago. The South Korean tech giant said that the company closed its doors on the business to focus on other growth areas, like electric vehicle components, IoT, smart homes, robotics, and AI.
This patent document surfaced shortly after we found another LG patent revealing the company’s potential comeback with a rollable device—LG Rollable—which also faced discontinuation years ago. The company’s very own rival in South Korea, Samsung, has also filed for a hotly-anticipated trifold smartphone, which, if holds up, could see a worldwide release in 2025.
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