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Samsung has filed a new patent for a phone that looks a lot like the current Galaxy Z Flip 7, except this one folds both inward and outward, with curved edges near the hinge so the display doesn't crash into itself either way. According to a new report, the filing even brings back old Edge UX tricks for when it's closed.
Samsung just patented a Z Flip that folds both ways
The patent shows a phone fairly close to the current Flip in shape, but with a noticeably curved hinge area. That curve is likely there to keep the display from colliding with itself, whether you're closing the phone the normal way or opening it up past flat.
This isn't Samsung's first offbeat foldable idea lately, either. We recently looked at a patent for a phone that unfolds and rolls out into a tablet, so the company clearly has no shortage of concepts sitting in a drawer somewhere.
What this means for Flip and Razr owners
If you already own a Z Flip 7 or you're waiting on the Z Flip 8, none of this changes anything for you today. Patents get filed constantly, and most never make it anywhere near a store shelf.
Motorola's Razr Ultra owners can relax too. This is a much bigger structural change than anything currently shipping on either side of the flip phone aisle, so there's no reason to expect it landing next year, or possibly ever.
Reserve the Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Z Flip 8 at Samsung Samsung has just opened its reservation campaign, allowing you to reserve your next Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Z Flip 8 device. The official store is giving you a $30 reservation credit, plus a chance to win one of 10 $500 gift cards. Reserve at Samsung
The old Edge UX trick might be making a comeback
The interesting part of this patent isn't the folding itself, it's what happens when the phone is closed. The curved edges are described as being able to display information even in that folded position, which sounds a lot like Samsung's old Edge UX from the Galaxy S6 Edge and S7 Edge.
Back then, Edge UX let you check notifications, weather, or shortcuts along the curved side of the screen without fully waking the phone up. It's a small trick, but it made that curve useful instead of just decorative.
Would I actually want this? Here's my take
I'll be honest, my first reaction to a phone that folds outward is skepticism. Carrying a Z Flip with its screen fully exposed, which is apparently what Samsung expects here, sounds like an easy way to end up with a scratched display.
That said, the Edge UX angle has me more curious. I liked that feature on the S7 Edge, and reviving it on a folded hinge would give that curve an actual job instead of just being a shape.
For now, this is just paper at the patent office, and I'd guess it stays that way. Still, I hope somebody at Samsung is kicking the Edge UX idea around for a future Flip.
More on Samsung's foldable plans:
・Our full best foldable phones guide, if you want something that actually ships
・What's coming to the Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 this summer
・For more hot takes and behind-the-scenes coverage, follow me at @jojothetechie on X and Threads
