Samsung has applied for a patent for a revolutionary smartphone design. The patent suggests a dual-screen phone with a transparent rear panel. It resembles ZTE’s Nubia X, which debuted two years ago.
Samsung may be exploring bringing its smartphone line to a new level with a novel design that will make its rear panel far more useful than simply containing the camera island and brand logo.
According to a patent application submitted with the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO), Samsung is considering producing a new type of smartphone with a transparent display on the back (via SamMobile(opens in new tab)). When not in use, the second display, according to the application, blends in with the rest of the phone’s rear panel.
The patent application was submitted in January and was released this week. The handset illustrated in the illustrations is akin to an always-on display, which flashes information even when the screen is switched off.
However, this is only one of many possible applications. A second rear-facing screen may also make taking selfies with the rear camera easier. The second screen, according to the datasheet, can “produce a live view image of the subject.”
According to the patent application, the transparent display can “visually show at least a portion of an inner area of the second surface.” A notification panel is another possible application.
That being said, like with any other patent filing, this concept could be dropped at any point. If, on the other hand, the patent is approved, it would herald a new era of smartphone design that, hopefully, will bring dual-screen phones to the public, as Samsung has done with its folding phones such as the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4.
