Foldable iPhone? Apple granted second patent for smartphone

San Francisco: A second patent has been granted to Apple regarding the additions the company intends to incorporate in its originally planned foldable device.

The second patent is focused on a flexible hinge and the use of a fabric for its housing, Patently Apple, an Apple-centric blog focused on the company`s latest Intellectual Property (IP) developments, reported on Tuesday. 

According to the report, the description of the second patent claim reads: "An electronic device, comprising a `flexible hinge` coupled between the first and second housing portions wherein the flexible portion of the housing comprises fabric."

The iPhone-maker received its first patent to develop a foldable smartphone from the US Patent and Trademark office in November 2016 that described a display that could be opened and closed like a book, media had reported.

As smartphones continue to introduce larger and larger phablet sizes, there will come a point where introducing a foldable smartphone will make sense, especially with mobile TV on 5G networks on the way, the report added.

Earlier in September, South Korea-based electronics major Samsung released a teaser of a phone with bendable and foldable display technology that would offer the functionality of a tablet complete with multi-tasking and a big screen.

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Samsung`s much awaited foldable device could debut in November at Samsung`s Developer Conference. Chinese electronics giant Huawei could also be getting ready to be the first to launch such a device in November.