Samsung may already dominate the foldable market, but the company clearly is not done experimenting with smartphone form factors yet. New patent filings suggest Samsung is now exploring rollable and sliding phone designs again, this time with concepts that look noticeably more practical than some of the futuristic prototypes we have seen over the past few years.
The patents, recently spotted by WearView, show multiple designs where a phone can physically expand into a larger screen through sliding or rolling mechanisms.
One of the concepts works somewhat like a normal smartphone at first glance. But instead of unfolding like a Galaxy Z Fold, the display extends outward horizontally when pulled, giving users a much wider screen for multitasking, gaming, or watching videos. It almost feels like Samsung trying to combine the portability of a standard phone with the larger canvas of a foldable.
The second concept is even more unusual.
In its compact form, the display is completely hidden inside the body of the device. Pulling on the sides causes the screen to slide outward and reveal a larger panel. Samsung describes this approach as a way to better protect the display from scratches and impacts when not in use, which honestly addresses one of the biggest concerns people still have about flexible screens.
The patent also mentions sensors capable of detecting how far the display has been extended and how quickly it moves. That information could allow the software interface to dynamically adapt depending on screen size and orientation.
Of course, this is still patent territory for now. Samsung files a huge number of concepts every year, and many never become real products. Rollable phones also come with their own engineering challenges involving durability, moving parts, battery space, and long-term reliability.
Still, Samsung has clearly been interested in this category for a while. Samsung Display has already shown rollable and slidable OLED prototypes publicly at trade shows like CES and MWC, so these ideas are not appearing completely out of nowhere.
And honestly, rollables may actually solve a few problems foldables still struggle with today. Some users still dislike visible creases or bulky hinges, while a rollable design could theoretically stay compact most of the time and only expand when needed.
Whether consumers are ready for yet another smartphone form factor is a different question entirely. Foldables are only now starting to become more mainstream after years of refinement.
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