Samsung's latest patent may put its first-gen foldable tablet closer than ever to launch

A handful of leaks have suggested that Samsung has a foldable tablet (or Galaxy Tab Fold) in the works. Now, it seems the OEM has a new US patent for such a device. The OEM submitted the IP to the USPTO at the end of April 2019, whereupon it was accepted in February 2021.

Its diagrams point to a flexible-display device likely to be larger than those of the Galaxy Z Fold line, indicating that it will launch as a tablet, if not a compact foldable laptop. Then again, it only has 1 USB type C port, tucked into one edge near its hinge end.

This is mainly because the same edge tapers sharply toward its other end. However, one half of the device has much more overall depth compared to the other. This choice, somewhat reminiscent of Huawei's "Pinnacle Design" for its new Mate X2 foldable flagship, might be intended to weight one end while the device is in "notebook" mode.

Nevertheless, there remains no guarantee that the eventual real-world "Galaxy Tab Fold" would follow this new design to the letter. On the other hand, the screen real estate and portability implied by the new patent's schematics may suggest Samsung would not hesitate to release an actual device with these potential selling points.

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