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Tablets have quickly become a normal thing to carry around in our every day lives. They come in handy on planes, the subway, and at home on the couch. The only problem with tablets is that they add yet another device to your collection. Most people now have a phone, a tablet, and some sort of PC. What if the tablet and phone could be the same device
Asus has tried to solve this problem with their PadFone devices. They allow you to dock the phone into a tablet and see all of your stuff on a bigger display. Samsung is trying to solve this problem in a completely different way. Instead of docking two devices together, they want the phone to be two devices at once. It sounds crazy, but the latest patent from Sammy shows how it could be done.
As you can see in the image above, the device has three displays that can fold out to the size of a tablet. When the displays are folded, like a tri-fold wallet, the device is a more pocketable phone size. You may think something like this is still far from becoming a reality, but news out of South Korea suggests that Samsung has a few prototypes. They also mention that the device will allegedly launch in 2015.
Would you be interested in a device like this? The potential is phenomenal. One device that can expand into a bigger device, yet still fit in your pocket. If that isn’t futuristic we don’t know what is. Who is ready to line up?
[via SamMobile]
And the threat of Tizen starts… Im sure Tizen will be running on this tablet and not Android. And it will sell due to the unique nature of this tablet.
cant imagine them making the tablet thin enough to make it not seem relatively thick as a phone when folded. this will not sell as well as you may think. its easier to just have 2 devices at this point. you can get a nexus phone or one plus one phone and a tablet for under $600. not seeing how this will top that anytime soon.
…. really? 2 devices better than this? Girl please!
whats the thinnest tablet to date? whats the thinnest tablet or phone by samsung to date? do you really want (by looking at this patent picture) a phone thats 18mm thick? and thats only if they can make a tablet 6mm thin (dont think anyones achieved this yet). so absolutely, a dedicated phone and dedicated tablet for under $600 is def better than something they will likely hit you at least $800 for. and how would u carry this? as a thick as phone or a tablet? good luck fittin either in ur skinny jeans!
Put a phone AND a tablet in your pocket and you’ll have your answer. Plus my Note 3 alone costed 700 bucks….
this guy is laughable! a nexus phone and the one plus one is under $400 and you can get a nexus tablet for $200 (both for under $600). and i wouldnt put a tablet in my pocket period. but with this device you only have 2 options 1. fold it into a phone (a thick 1 at that) or keep it in tablet form. but maybe your the type of guy that carries a man purse so problem solved ehh! and im curious are we taking about a 7″ tablet folding into what, a 2.3″ phone or a 10″ tablet folding into a 3.3″ phone? cause like i stated earlier looking at the patent this device is folding 3 x. and your $700 note 3 supports my idea of this not being cheaper than $800.
Maybe you might think owning a Nexus 5 and a Nexus 7 is fine enough for you. I need more than that and the device in this post looks very promising and exciting.
Higher price point is not really the question here – something that’s new and different will command a premium. I think it is more important that Samsung (and others, like the project Microsoft dropped for a “book” foldable tablet a couple of years ago) is coming up with new ways of seeing/designing that only help open up opportunities to interact with our devices.
For instance, instead of a 10″ tablet, you could have a 12″ tablet folding down to a 4″ phone or a 15″ tablet folding down to a 5″ phone. Or, if you could design it so that you could use the tablet by just unfolding once – you could have an option to make a 15″ tablet into a 10″ tablet or a 5″ phone!
yea i understand that. in my first comment i was just stating that at this point i dont think this will be implemented in a way thats more convenient than having 2 very affordable devices with near top notch specs. then ol’ fel pe decided to be a smart @$$ so i got a lil carried away. I think its good that OEMs are trying new ideas this just isnt one of my favs. to be honest not sure how you make a phone/tablet hybrid and it be as convenient or intuitive as the Notes, one plus one, g3, etc…i think that size factor better serves both needs at this point but hey they could be on to something.
You could “think outside the box” to come up with a design… you could place the battery/hardware needed for the device inside a case of the size of a regular smartphone. Then, you make a thin foldable screen that’s 3 times bigger than the case – voila – a table that’s large enough, and a phone that is thin enough! You could have the “thick” part to the side or on the middle of the “tablet” formation (sort of like opening a trifold menu).
I don’t Tizen will become a threat and if it did, competition is good for consumers. It forces innovation.
I think a small device with a screen that pulls out with the flex screen technology is a better ideal
Similar to a scroll?
Yes they already showed pictures of device with pull out screens
I’m waiting for them to make big screen tvs like that. Instead of having a tv on a stand, have it rolled in a coil like a protector screen.
And Samsung has peaked my interest again. This would be awesome as you only need 1 single device. They already have flexible screen tech so this isn’t far fetched.
Kristian Ulrich designed the best looking tablet/phone thing about 3 years ago.
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/20/triple-display-flip-phone-powers-our-dreams-with-android-video/
Leave phones as they are. We have already started to combine the PC and the Tablet, so the number of devices we carry can be lowered that way.
The number of devices being combined… is too damn high!
I won’t be happy until I can store my Unix server in my pocket and make calls on it from my iHat
That is only the beginning Samsung`s Dispaly dream: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhVGeTGI9IM
…
Is there room for some fake leather somewhere?
I’m willing to drop serious $$$$ for this device sans Touchwiz
Sans Touchwiz will never happen.
Ravage.. Laserbeak… Eject.
Can’t wait! I’ve been waiting for the foldable device to finally be released, since they showed this concept commercial 1.5 years ago! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3E7fUynrZU. Everyone thought foldable phones would be out this year, after the Flex and the Round were released last year, but I don’t mind 2015 being the target. Perfect timing for my next upgrade.
Looks like Samsung is trying to patent the average man’s wallet
These reports will hold me off from upgrading my Note 8 tablet (especially since there’s been no sign of Samsung releasing a successor to the Note 8 w/ S-pen).