Vivo Patents a Futuristic Flip Phone; Outward-folding Display and Periscope Camera

As foldable smartphones continue to cement their position as a new category with Samsung in the lead, it was only a matter of time before more smartphone-makers started experimenting with the form factor. The latest in this line would be Vivo; they just secured a patent for a foldable phone.

The European publication LetsGoDigital first discovered the patent filed with the Chinese National Intellectual Property Administration (or CNIPA.) Schematics attached with the document depict a phone that folds backwards on itself: think a flip phone, except its bottom half folds outwards.

Its screen has an unusually tall aspect ratio — at least 21:9, based on an educated guess. Samsung’s take on the modern clamshell folds into twice its original thickness. But unlike the Galaxy Z Flip, Vivo’s concept dramatically tapers off into a fraction of its size towards the hinge. 

It makes the device far more pocketable than any similar alternatives on the market right now, this particular form factor will present a unique engineering challenge. The design also lacks any holes, notches, physical buttons or ports (except for a USB-C interface), which suggests that Vivo would turn to haptic solutions for the buttons and eSIMs for connectivity.

The already tricky concept is made even more ambitious with a periscope-telephoto camera that rests in the squarish camera housing.

Note that a patent doesn’t necessarily mean that Vivo has plans for bringing this foldable to the market anytime soon. But even if the phone doesn’t see the light of the day, it reflects Vivo’s plans for exploring folding screens in the future.