Did Microsoft receive another patent for the Surface Phone?

Back in January, Microsoft was granted a patent for a 2-in-1-device that folded from a phone into a tablet and vice versa. Since the patent was awarded to Microsoft, some people jumped to conclusions and determined that this was the mythical Surface Phone. This past week, Microsoft received a new patent for a foldable handset, and once again there are rumors that it is related to the long awaited, mythical Surface Phone.

A foldable Surface Phone would face some stiff competition from Samsung and LG. The latest rumor has Samsung ready to release thousands of prototypes to carriers and retailers during the third quarter of this year, which incidentally is when the next batch of Apple iPhone units might be released. The foldable Samsung model would be an ultra-luxury device according to those in the know. That could mean that the 10th anniversary Apple iPhone 8 won't be the only handset priced in the $1,000 range this year. LG, for its part, received three patents from the USPTO this past January for a foldable phone that turns into a tablet.

Microsoft has given up producing Lumia devices, leaving it up to companies like HP to keep Windows 10 Mobile alive with powerful enterprise based models like the HP Elite x3. At the same time, there has been talk of a Windows 10 Pro powered phone that would use Intel processors. Such a handset would run desktop apps, and would be a handheld version of the PC. What the Surface Pro did for tablets, the Surface Phone would do for smartphones.

The new Microsoft patent is called Display Device, and was awarded to Microsoft Technology Licensing. The two inventors are Timothy Andrew Large and Steven Bathitche. The U.S. patent number is US2017/0086308 A1, and you can see a couple of images from the patent by tapping on the slideshow below.


via FPO, @h0x0d

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