If there is a list of the most unusual mobile devices ever made, the ASUS PadFone X should definitely appear on it. The PadFone X was released in 2014 when tablets were still pretty popular. Rather than buying two devices i.e. a phone and a tablet, you could purchase the PadFone X which is a phone that transformed into a tablet by simply docking it into a larger screen called the PadFone Station. Neat, right? It has been years now since ASUS ditched the PadFone series but the design may be making a comeback thanks to a recent OPPO patent for a foldable device.
A recently published patent which was filed at the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) back in April has revealed a possible future OPPO foldable phone that borrows a leaf from the PadFone X. The patent diagrams show a large screen device with a flexible display that can be folded. This large screen device has a connector on its back that lets you attach a phone to it.
When a phone is connected to the large display, the content on the phone automatically displays on it. This comes in handy if you want to watch a video, play a game, or edit a document or any activity that works better on a larger screen.
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Unlike the PadFone Station which is solely powered by the PadFone X, OPPO’s own large-screen device can work on its own as it has a built-in processor and battery. However, its functions are limited when used alone. The patent shows that the larger screen device has a groove but the phone doesn’t flush with the rest of the body when docked in.
This is a different take on the foldable devices category and OPPO may as well succeed where ASUS failed. Some of the complaints of the PadFone X include its very huge bezels and weight (when docked), so we expect OPPO will find a way to solve these issues. Android is also now better-suited for productivity with features such as split-screen multitasking and support for floating apps. We also won’t mind having a pressure-sensitive stylus.
OPPO and its sister company, Vivo, have demonstrated that they can pioneer new designs that will eventually be the industry standard. While the patent above isn’t entirely original, we sure do look forward to seeing OPPO release a device based on the design in the near future.
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