Back in October 2017, ZTE took the wraps off what it marketed as the world’s first foldable smartphone. Dubbed as the Axon M, the device wasn’t really a foldable phone since it did not come with a flexible display, but simply featured a couple of separate screens.

While the Axon M didn’t live up to the hype, it definitely paved the way for newfangled foldable smartphones including Samsung’s long-awaited Galaxy Fold and Huawei‘s equally anticipated Mate X.

If a recently granted patent to the Shenzhen-based phone manufacturer is anything to go by, ZTE is hard at works on a unique smartphone that’s equipped with a foldable display. Originally spotted by LetsGoDigital, the 3D renders of ZTE’s purported foldable smartphone imply the device will adopt a clamshell design. You can head straight to LetsGoDigital and check out more images of the foldable smartphone from ZTE.

The aforesaid patent was filed with the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) back in April 2018, and it was granted on March 5th this year. The patent suggests that ZTE’s foldable smartphone will not look like Samsung’s or Huawei’s foldable smartphones.
The ZTE device will reportedly bear a striking resemblance to the yet-to-be-announced Moto RAZR foldable smartphone. The foldable ZTE phone’s clamshell design will enable users to fold it vertically.

The display will feature a disproportional fold with the top section being relatively shorter than the bottom. When folded, a noticeable portion of the larger screen can still be seen. Apparently, this visible portion of the screen could display important notifications such as phone call alerts etc.

• Related: ZTE Axon 10 Pro features a 6.4-inch FHD+ flexible AMOLED display

The back of the ZTE foldable smartphone is out of the ordinary as well. There’s a dual camera module with an LED flash positioned on the bottom half of the rear. The top half, on the other hand, houses a couple of mysterious circular cutouts.

The volume rockers and the power button are placed on the right side of the device. The connector port, which is bordered grilles on either side, is located at the bottom. Regrettably, details about the foldable ZTE smartphone are still few and far between.

More shreds of information including the phone’s launch date, specifications, and features are likely to surface online ahead of its official unveiling. Watch this space for more news and updates about ZTE’s foldable smartphone.

(Sources: 1)

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