We have grown accustomed to foldable phones that open like books or flip like pocket mirrors. However, a recently leaked patent suggests the company is dreaming of something far more versatile. Instead of a single hinge, the patent, filed by Motorola, describes a “deformable” smartphone with a multi-link body that can bend, twist, and hold multiple shapes. More than just a phone that folds, it is a device that adapts its physical form to match what you are doing.
The most practical application of this design is what Motorola calls “tent mode.” Imagine leaning your phone on a table like a bent playing card. In this position, the device stands on its own, making it an ideal companion for hands-free video calls, following a recipe in the kitchen, or watching a movie without needing a separate stand or a PopSocket.
Motorola’s new patent: A deformable smartphone you can wear
A major challenge with flexible devices is ensuring the software knows where the user is looking. If you bend a phone into a tent shape, half of the screen usually faces away from you. Motorola’s patent (shared by xleaks7 on Sudoku Online) solves this by using the phone’s shape as a form of input. The device would use cameras and sensors to detect your face and “authorize” which side of the display should stay active.
In addition to fixing the user interface behavior, this approach saves battery life. By intelligently powering down the side of the screen that no one is watching, the phone reduces unnecessary energy waste. The system is smart enough to know when you are using a certain area. This should stop the screen from changing sides at the wrong time.
From your pocket to your wrist
The “wrist-wrapped” configuration is the most ambitious part of the patent, even though the tent mode is good for getting things done. The design lets the phone curve around a user’s arm with an adjustable radius, turning a full-sized smartphone into a huge, wrap-around wearable. This makes it seem like there will come a time when there is no longer a difference between a smartphone and a smartwatch.
Of course, this kind of radical design makes you think. Using face detection to turn on parts of the screen could lead to privacy talks. Also, making a multi-link body would be very hard for engineers because of how complicated it is. The patent also talks about being able to sense outside environments, like being in a car. This could lead to smarter safety features or limits on distractions.
Not every patent lead to a finished product. This leak, though, shows that Motorola is thinking about more than just the usual “glass slab” design. We don’t know yet if we’ll really be wearing our phones on our wrists in a few years, but the idea of a device that changes shape to fit our needs is definitely interesting.
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