Samsung’s new folding screen can fold both ways

This new 360-degree hinge could change the way we use foldable phones

Foldable phones have managed to bring a breath of fresh air to the mundane glass sandwich design we’re used to seeing on nearly all of the top Android phones around. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold and Flip handsets continue to lead the category, even as more and more mainstream brands join the fray. But Samsung isn’t resting on its laurels, and it’s been busy experimenting with radical new designs for folding phones. Now we’re getting a look at its newest invention, a foldable panel that can bend both ways.

The display panels used in foldables are flexible, and if you were to remove one from a phone you’d find that it can bend in either direction. When integrated into a handset, it’s the hinge that dictates how the phone will fold. We’ve seen inward-folding handsets like the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and even outward-folding ones like the Huawei Mate X, but there hasn’t yet been a phone that folds in either direction on the same hinge. At the recently concluded CES 2023, Samsung showcased a new 360-degree hinge design that could do exactly that, according to The Verge.

You’ll notice that the prototype looks a lot like the Galaxy Z Fold 4, but there’s one big difference: it can fold backward, too, with the “Flex In & Out” display wrapping around its left side. This new hinge reportedly not only gives the phone its flexibility but also reduces the pressure put on the delicate display. As a result, you get a less visible crease when the phone is open flat.

Samsung first demonstrated its tri-folding phone a couple of years ago, but it used two separate hinges that divided the display three ways. This latest iteration of that hinge is far more advanced and capable, with bidirectional performance from a single unit.

While certainly impressive, the tech doesn’t quite seem ready for prime time, and most likely won’t appear on this year’s Galaxy foldables. However, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is expected to use a new hinge that helps reduce the visible display crease by easing up on the fold radius. For right now, though, all eyes are on the Samsung Galaxy S23 lineup that’s going official in just another couple weeks.