New Microsoft Patent Detailing Rumored Surface Phone Pops Up Online Ahead Of Spring Launch?

Is Microsoft finally releasing its long-awaited and long-rumored Surface Phone this year? A new patent that was published this week surfaced online, and it contains details for what could be the powerful Windows-running smartphone of the Redmond giant.

Last Thursday, Microsoft was awarded with patent US 2017/0086308 A1. The patent, which was originally filed on Sept. 17, 2015, is for different configurations of a display device’s components. The display device being described by the document has four main parts: two transparent panels that are adjacent to each other and a display layer with two display panels separated by a gap. There are redirecting elements positioned between each side of the transparent panel and display panel combination. The end-result is a folding display device.

Despite the separation between the two sides due to the gap, Microsoft indicated in the patent that users will perceive the image being displayed by the folding device as one single image. This is because the gap is being kept to a minimum size. There is also mention of organic light-emitting diode or OLED panels and liquid crystal display as the materials to be used for the display panel. There are several other embodiments mentioned in the patent, but Microsoft noted that each is subject to change.

The publication of the new patent online just comes a day after “All About Microsoft” reporter of ZDNet Mary Jo Foley shared some juicy bits on what fans can expect from the Redmond tech giant this spring. During the latest Windows Weekly session, Foley claimed that it’s unlikely for Microsoft to bring out the successor to the Surface Book line. For the most part, Foley speculated that Microsoft is creating a new breed of clamshell device that would still focus on creativity like the Surface Book and Surface Studio.

“We keep hearing that there’s going to be a spring hardware launch from Microsoft. And now we’re officially in spring, right? No invitations have gone out … But we do keep hearing that there is gonna be a hardware launch,” Foley said before adding that the tech giant is unlikely to introduce the Surface Book 2 and the Surface Pro 5 at this time of the year.

Although there is no confirmation that Microsoft is already working on its Surface Phone, any new information that could be hinting at the handset’s existence is being taken as a sign that the Redmond company is ready to put out its highly anticipated powerhouse soon. Furthermore, the new patent somehow corroborates another patent that was awarded to Microsoft back in January. The latter basically outed details about a 2-in-1 device that folds from being a smartphone into a tablet and vice versa, as per Phone Arena.

Should Microsoft really introduce a folding smartphone this spring, it is going to meet some tough competition from South Korea companies Samsung and LG. There have been reports about the two working on foldable phones for release. Aside from the upcoming Galaxy S8 and S8+, Samsung is believed to be hard at work in developing prototypes for its foldable phone. On the other hand. LG has already earned three patents for a phone-tablet hybrid.