Latest Xiaomi patent figures two folds are better than one for a potential Xiaomi Mi Z Fold flexible smartphone/tablet hybrid

Xiaomi patents spring up frequently and this latest effort, courtesy of LetsGoDigital, shows that the Chinese company is still very much invested in foldable technology. However, it seems in this particular application, Xiaomi is more interested in creating a foldable smartphone that offers a decent-sized display, similar to that of a large tablet, when completely unfolded.

The Xiaomi foldable device, which LetsGoDigital has named “Xiaomi Mi Z Fold” because of the “Z” shape the smartphone can make as it is being folded, looks like a regular-sized smartphone when put together. But its appearance is deceiving, because as soon as you look at the closed-up device from the top or bottom, you can see the thickness issue that arises with having such a multiple fold smartphone.

The chunkiness of the device is not the only problem with this Xiaomi Mi Z Fold, either. The way the patent describes the folding mechanism leaves the smartphone as a dual-display device when folded – there is no standard rear case to house a main camera system. So a user will have to either unfold the Xiaomi smartphone into its tablet form to use the "rear" camera setup, or the Chinese firm has some serious under-display camera solutions ready to spring on an unsuspecting public at some point in 2021.