Microsoft's mythical Surface Phone gains folding screen, pop-open glance mode

We have been hearing about the Surface Phone for years now and we do hope that Microsoft might jump back into the mobile game soon. Microsoft has filed several patents around the Surface Phone in the past and a new patent seems to complement the older patents.

The patent which was published on 28th March shows the hinge mechanism that Microsoft plans to use in the Surface Phone. The mechanism shares similarities with hinge used on Microsoft Surface Book. The patent details different aspects of the hinge including how it will allow the Surface Phone to have a secondary screen that can act as a keyboard.

The description refers to hinged devices, such as folding computer devices. An example may be a hinge assembly that rotatably secures a first portion and a second portion relative to a hinge axis and defines a planar trace between the first and second portions through the hinge assembly. The example may also include a pop-up arm that compresses a spring when the first portion and the second portion are rotated into a closed orientation, and wherein the compressed spring creates a bias to bias the first and second portions from the closed orientation to turn an open orientation.

The present concepts relate to devices, such as computer devices, that use hinge assemblies that can rotationally lock first and second device sections relative to a hinge axis, such as a first hinge axis related to the first section and a second hinge axis extending refers to the second section.

Some of the present hinge assemblies may be considered to be provided with a pop-up feature in that the hinge assembly can automatically open the hinge from a closed position when activated by a user. Alternatively, or in addition, some of the existing hinge assemblies may provide a path for a conductor through the hinge assembly that exposes the conductor to only a single axis of rotation during rotation of the first and second portions.

The hinge will allow full 360-degree rotation so the screen could be rotated completely and it could be used a traditional mobile phone. While the idea seems interesting, patents don’t always mean that there will be an actual device. We do hope that Microsoft works out foldable phones soon and we could actually see the Surface Phone instead of just relying on patents and rumours. That said, we still don’t have any idea if/when Microsoft will launch the Surface phone or Andromeda.

Via: Windows United