Apple's second patent for foldable device gets approved, focuses on flexible hinge

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 16 October.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 a fabric."[caption id="attachment_5382471" align="alignnone" width="1280"]

Customers walk past an Apple logo inside of an Apple store at Grand Central Station in New York, US. Image: Reuters[/caption]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 the 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.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.