Vivo seems to be working on an extendable phone that will go toe to toe with foldable phones from Samsung and other manufacturers. Vivo has filed a patent application at the World Intellectual Property Organisation. The patent application suggests that the Chinese smartphone maker is working on a smartphone that features an extendable display. This could be similar to the rollable screen of the Oppo X 2021 phone.
In a bid to tighten their grip in the smartphone space, more and more smartphone manufacturers have recently jumped in on the foldable phone bandwagon. As a result, the market is teeming with all sorts of handsets featuring screens that can be folded and unfolded based on users’ needs. Aside from that, rollable concept handsets have been garnering huge popularity among consumers. Moreover, a report from 91mobiles suggests that the future of smartphones will be sliding, rather than foldable screens.
Vivo Working On A New Extendable Phone
The aforesaid patent was filed in May this year. It was then published on December 2. If the patent drawings spotted by 91mobiles are anything to go by, the device will sport an extendable display. Furthermore, it seems that the extendable display can expand from the right. As a result, the screen becomes larger, providing additional screen real estate for content. To recall, Vivo was granted a patent with WIPO for a unique design that shows a phone with a detachable under-display front camera module earlier this year, according to a report from DTNext.
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Extendable phones are not a new concept. Oppo has already shown off its extendable phones in the past. However, a commercial device has still not gone up for grabs. The Vivo extendable phone extends from the right edge. It can be clipped back in when it is not in use. There is a possibility that the screen extends while performing various tasks such as watching videos, reading documents, or opening the camera app. Moreover, the device seems to use a motor to bring up the hidden screen during specific tasks.
What Else To Expect?
However, there might be an option to manually summon the hidden screen whenever a user requires it. The right spine houses the USB Type-C port, while the speaker grille is available on the top. Likewise, a rectangular module at the back seems to accommodate multiple camera sensors. Furthermore, the front panel houses a punch-hole cutout that will house the selfie camera. Considering that Vivo just patented the design earlier this year, it is unclear whether the company is gearing up for the launch of a commercial phone in the next few months.
Nevertheless, Vivo has a reputation for adopting innovative smartphone designs. Aside from that, foldable phones are highly likely to become the next big thing. In other words, the Vivo extendable phone design could see the light of the day sometime soon. The additional screen real estate will deliver a superior experience when it comes to capturing photos, watching your favorite videos, playing games, reading e-books, and while other similar tasks.
