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Samsung's Patent Document Explores Unique Flip Phone With Reversible Design

Samsung's Patent Document Explores Unique Flip Phone With Reversible Design

A patent document suggests a new flip phone without defined front or back panels in the folded form.

Written by Nithya P Nair, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 8 January 2026 14:26 IST

Samsung's Patent Document Explores Unique Flip Phone With Reversible Design

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 was launched in July 2025

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Highlights

Samsung reportedly filed patent for a unique flip phone design
The new concept has two symmetrical outer panels
One outer panel appears to have a circular cut-out for camera

Samsung is expected to reveal its flagship Galaxy S26 series in February, and its next generation of foldable phones could arrive later this year, but the company also appears to be working on a rather unique flip-style foldable phone. A patent application suggests that Samsung could be preparing a new foldable phone that folds both inward and outward, using a new hinge. The patent sketches show the phone with a reversible design, marking a notable shift from Samsung's current clamshell phone designs. The proposed concept does not have a dedicated cover screen or rear panel in the folded form.

Samsung May Bring a New Reversible Flip Phone

Spotted by XpertPick, a recent Samsung patent document on the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) website explores a different design for a foldable phone. The alleged sketches of the patent show the device in different angles in folded and unfolded positions, with a reversible front-and-back flip phone design.

Photo Credit: Xpertpick

The new concept showcases two symmetrical outer panels. Unlike the current Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, sketches suggest that the proposed flip phone does not have a clearly defined “front” or “back” when folded. One outer panel appears to have a circular cut-out that could be for a camera or sensor. The hinge design looks uniform.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 Review: New Design, Old Problems

However, as this is a design patent, it doesn't assure a commercial release. Samsung might use the patented design for testing purposes, or it could change before the final release.

Meanwhile, Samsung is said to be working on its 2026 edition Galaxy Z series smartphones. Recently, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8 were surfaced on the IMEI database with model numbers SM-F976U and SM-F776U, respectively.

The company is also said to be planning a “Wide” Galaxy Z Fold 8 variant alongside the usual model to rival Apple's rumoured foldable iPhone, which could resemble Google's first Pixel Fold model.

Samsung Galaxy Book 6 With Up to Intel Core Ultra Series 3 Chips Launched

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8 are expected to be revealed in July during the company's Galaxy Unpacked launch event. The book-style foldable phone is said to come with a 5,000mAh battery and upgraded telephoto and ultrawide cameras. It may also offer faster charging speeds and S Pen support.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Slim and sleek IP48-rated design
One UI 8 brings plenty of handy AI features
Vibrant displays with thin borders
Battery lasts a day of heavy use

Bad
Hinge is a bit too stiff or rigid
Cover display experience underwhelming
Gets very hot when using the camera
Charging is relatively slow

Read detailed Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 review

Display (Primary) 6.90-inch

Cover Display 4.10-inch

Cover Resolution 948x1048 pixels

Processor 3.3 MHz deca-core

Front Camera 10-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB, 12GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

Battery Capacity 4300mAh

OS Android 16

Resolution 2520x1080 pixels

More Samsung mobiles Samsung mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Samsung, Samsung Flip, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, Patents

Nithya P Nair

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Nithya P Nair is a journalist with more than five years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in business and technology beats. A foodie at heart, Nithya loves exploring new places (read cuisines) and sneaking in Malayalam movie dialogues to spice up conversations. More