Samsung patents transparent screen, with front and back touch capabilities

Samsung was recently awarded a patent for a transparent screen with front and back touch capabilities. By touching the screen from behind, a user can open a folder without a finger blocking part of the screen. By using the back of the screen, users can read a hidden menu or view a hidden photograph. Videos could be controlled using the rear touchscreen, and overlapping images can be separated more easily by using the front or back screen.

Using the real estate on back of a smartphone has picked up steam with the launch of the LG G2 which has its power button and volume rocker on the rear, under the camera. The HTC One max has a fingerprint sensor located on the back of the phablet, and the upcoming OPPO N1, set to launch on December 10th, features a touch panel on the upper part of the phone's rear cover. This is expected to facilitate one-hand use despite the large 5.8 inch screen on the device.

It's unclear when we might see this patent in use on a Samsung phone, and with the current focus on curved and flexible displays, it might be sometime before a transparent screen makes its way to a Samsung handset ready for prime time.


source: PatentBolt via SamMobile, AndroidAuthority