New patents reveal that Huawei could soon release smartphones with slide-out screens

We are starting to see more and more smartphone prototypes with slide-out displays as a viable alternative to inward or outward foldables, and the latest company to get approved patents is Huawei. Slide-out screens are still using the same flexible displays from the usual foldables, but they have the advantage of not creasing the screen midway, while the slide-out mechanism should be less prone to mechanical damages compared to the hinges on a foldable device.

Huawei’s latest patents received approval on April 14 from WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) and CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration). The design depicted in Huawei’s patents is unlike everything we have seen thus far. Instead of hiding the extensible part of the screen inside the case on the back, Huawei’s design fully exposes the extensible display on the back. This allows the main cameras on the back to work as selfie cams.

Moreover, there are two implementation models. Model A has the main camera setup placed on the right on the backside and the front screen can only be extended by 30%, while model B has the main camera setup placed on the left, with the front screen able to extend by 50%. Model B also has the right side of the front screen much slimmer than the left side when fully extended, whereas model A maintains the same device thickness on all sides.

A closer inspection reveals that the designs appear to be derived from the existing Mate X / XS models, so this would allow for an easier implementation if Huawei chooses to bring slide-out screens to commercial devices.