Microsoft's new patent reveals information about the hinge on dual-screen Surface devices

Microsoft is expected to launch the first dual-screen Surface devices later this year and the company has been working on several different design ideas to finalize the device before the final launch that’s expected to happen somewhere around holidays 2020.

Now a new patent filing sheds some light on Microsoft’s hinge designs for Surface Neo, Duo and for the possible future Surface devices. The patent talks about a full magnetic hinge system to fold and unfold dual-screen devices.

In Microsoft’s version of this invention they focus on being able to have two future Surface tablet devices connected together to form a new kind of device like a future Surface Neo-like device that could double as a notebook or a two-page-like book device.

The concept also explains how the Surface Neo dual display tablet could attach a half-height keyboard that could be positioned under one of the displays and then flipped over to land on one of the tablet surfaces.

What’s new with this patent filing is that there isn’t a permanent hinge structure holding the two displays together like the Surface Neo.

Of course like with all kinds of patents, it is possible that Microsoft might not use it in an actual device. Microsoft has filed numerous patents surrounding dual-screen Surface devices but not all the patents have been adapted into a functioning device. If you’re interested in learning more about the magnetic hinge then you can check out Patently Apple who covered the full patent that Microsoft filed with the US Patent & Trademark Office.