14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft’s foldable Surface is a dream that’s yet to come true, but judging from all the patents that’ve been discovered recently, we might actually get pretty close to the moment the company could unveil this device.
One such patent was discovered recently by German site WindowsUnited, and it describes how the hinge of the foldable Surface could be used as a notification screen. Naturally, a foldable Surface would use two different displays that allow for various form factors, including laptop and tablet. The two screens would be connected to each other by a hinge, a piece of hardware that Microsoft has already revolutionized as part of the Surface lineup.
And by the looks of things, the software giant might be planning to do the same thing once again, as the hinge of the foldable Surface could be used to display notifications.
How the hinge would be used
Microsoft describes the hinge as “a third screen region.” The patent details the components that would be used:
“An apparatus comprising: a plurality of screen areas including at least a first screen area, a second screen area, and a third screen area; a hinge coupled between the first screen area and the second screen area, the third screen area being provided on the hinge; and one or more processors that perform operations, comprising: determining information to be displayed on the third screen area based at least in part on a state of the hinge; Determining whether content from the first screen area is dragged to the third screen area; and providing the content as input to an application associated with the third screen area.”
As with everything still in patent stage, this is nothing more than an idea, but with the foldable Surface supposed to become a truly innovative device, don’t be too surprised if this feature makes it to the final product.
The launch of the foldable Surface could happen sometime next year if Microsoft doesn’t postpone it once again.