Microsoft is working on a new mobile device with a unique design. The ultimate mobile device ‘Andromeda’ which appears to be commonly referred to as “Surface Phone” on the web, is reportedly arriving next year. Patents that have surfaced lately shows us a mobile device with foldable body and display.

The patent titled “Hinge with Free-Stop function” shows us a mobile-type device with a hinge that supports rotation of 360-degree. Microsoft patented this design as the users are looking for devices with larger displays since they provide a richer and better user experience. Microsoft says that the patented device is for those users who want their phones to fit in their pocket despite the large display size.

“With a dual-display device, the mobile phone or tablet can include an open, expanded position where both displays are flush so that the user feels like there is a single integrated display. In a closed, condensed position, both displays are face-to-face so as to protect the displays. In a fully-open position, the dual displays can sit back-to-back so the user needs to flip the device to view the opposing display,” Microsoft explains why a foldable phone-phablet-tablet makes sense.

Microsoft also explains the hinges on such dual-display devices are problematic. The “problems include that the displays do not open and close smoothly. Yet another problem is the ability to stop the displays in any position as the displays are opened and closed,” the company explained.

The patented design could be implemented in any handheld device such as ‘smartphone and laptop,’ or a portable computer. The hinges in such devices allow a full 360-degrees of rotation between the first and second display devices. The company also explains that the patented device could potentially be used in different “modes” including ‘tablet mode’.

https://www.windowslatest.com/2017/12/25/surface-phone-360-degree-hinge-dual-display/

This is AWESOME!!!

I've been waiting for something like this. Hopefully this approach becomes the standard.

That's actually pretty interesting.

My phone has a 6 inch screen and it's perfectly functional as a phablet as it is, this hinged design looks like a great way to break a phone in half, just either get a small smart phone or a phablet if you want one.

This looks like it fills a gap in the market which just doesn't exist tbh.

Yeah...that's not going to catch on. and that's before you realize it will probably be a Windows phone.

I've been waiting three years for this phone. I'm still using W10M literally because I'm hoping against hope that this phone is released. I'm not expecting this thing to arrive before 2020, and with the way things are going with MS nowadays, the first batch might be buggy, the second batch might be good, and the third batch will be discontinued. Who knows.

Looking forward to both the device and the software that it runs, though. Hope it sees the light of day.

I'm just looking for an option that is not iOS or Android. Hope Microsoft does things right next time whenever they launch their next phone, and make sure it has support of all of their resources. I would be happy if this Phone supported XB, 360, and XBO games with the ability to pair a controller.

It will be very interesting to see how they make use of these features if this type of device does materialize. Hope it would have function beyond just expanded screen. If used correctly, it could finally end the nightmare web browsing experience on Android and iOS, and finally dethrone the Vita as the best mobile web expereince. With a functional web browser they would not have as much of a need for dedicated app support.

I don't see the point either. Unless of course they retain a 16:9 aspect ratio which is great for media consumption.
But then the gap between the displays would ruin it.

I have a 5.7" phone, looking for something bigger, probably closer to 6.5". But I want to keep the 16:9 aspect ratio... And it has to be 1440P or higher resolution.

The big boon with this device though are probably business users who can never have enough screen real estate to multitask with.

I think your guess is pretty bang on. Continuing down the rumour pipeline, you'll see that some of those MS fan sites are mentioning things like it being geared towards enterprise, as well as possibly sporting a price tag similar to a Surface Book. So, definitely not for regular consumer consumption if those things pan out. 

This might be a surface phone. Microsoft's surface tablets are doing well, so it makes sense to rebrand the windows phone completely. The surface team are geniuses and do great work.