Microsoft's new damage-proof screen patent: is a foldable tablet coming soon?

Microsoft was granted a new patent on a foldable screen design that facilitates better folding without visible creases and mechanical damage. While the device is not specified, could it mean a foldable tablet?

Microsoft was granted a patent for a “foldable display device with backplate slots” on October 1st. The claim was filed on February 11th, 2021, and the list of previous filings reveals that Microsoft has been experimenting with folding screen designs since 2018.

Some devices use flexible glass displays that can be folded for different viewing angles. For example, some displays have a thin glass layer with a plastic film.

However, these devices may show creases, wrinkles, or other marks where they fold. Ultra-thin glass is also more likely to crack or be damaged.

Additionally, parts like backplates can limit the ability to fold the displays in both directions.

The patent document emphasizes a flexible yet durable structure, allowing the display to rotate through various degrees to facilitate better folding without visible creases.

The patented device includes multiple layers, such as a cover glass, a light-emitting layer, and a backplate with slots that enable the display to bend more efficiently while maintaining transparency and reducing mechanical damage.

Many tech companies, such as Samsung, Google, Motorola, and Huawei, have launched foldable smartphones. Microsoft has also entered the market with its Surface Dou smartphone model. While this patent could be targeted to improve foldable smartphone designs, it doesn’t specify whether it’s aimed solely at handheld devices.

The technical illustrations included in the patent documents show both a foldable smartphone and a device that “may take the form of a laptop computing device, tablet computing device, or any other suitable computing device.”

Foldable tablets are still a rare beast in the gadget market, with Lenovo releasing the ThinkPad X1 Fold and rumors circulating of Samsung also working on one. Microsoft could be targeting this narrow niche to expand its gadgets portfolio.