Huawei signs patent cross-licensing deal with rival OPPO

Huawei may finally have some of its key connectivity features accessible outside of China. The company has signed a cross-licensing agreement with BBK Electronics' OPPO. Huawei can share its connectivity know-how, while OPPO can provide patents regarding audio and video tech. The announcements from both companies don't go into the detail about the deal. 

Due to US sanctions, Huawei hasn't been able to fully utilize its key technologies or make money out of them. The deal will at least help them earn additional revenue. OPPO, together with vivo (another BBK Electronics company), has shipped over 51 million units in the last quarter, meaning Huawei can earn handsomely from their agreement. It will be interesting to note if lawmakers will pay attention to this deal, and if that'll affect BBK's business.

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Samsung patent suggests company is working on smartphone 'stretchable display'

We've seen what Samsung has done with a foldable display, but a newly discovered patent suggests the company is exploring the idea of stretchable displays. The diagrams seen on the patent filed by Samsung with the US Patent and Trademark Office show the screen can be increased at will thanks to a moveable backside plate. The smartphone seems to sport narrow sides and a wider chin.

The patent describes a sensor capable of recognizing any change in touch input so the phone can calculate how much to increase or decrease the screen size. If Samsung decides to make this into an actual product, it can be useful for media consumption or gaming, among other uses.

Source: GizChina

Patent shows what the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite could look like

While patents don't necessarily show final products, they do offer us a hint of what's possibly coming. A license granted to Samsung by the US Patent and Trademark Office gives us a sneak peek at the potential design of the rumoured Galaxy S10 Lite. The specs still seem to be similar to the upcoming Galaxy A91, but the design is a cross between the Galaxy S10+ and S9.

The front features a dual-camera setup in that punch-hole display style on the upper right corner, while at the back, there is two camera setup as well, but the sensors are placed vertically with an LED light on the right. Now, whether Samsung sticks to this design or not, we'll have to wait and see. 

Source: SamMobile

Google patent shows a foldable ‘smart book’ with multiple screens

A patent Google filed back in 2018 was recently discovered and it takes on the idea of foldable devices in a different direction. Instead of having just one internal screen, this patent toys with the idea of having multiple screens, making it look like a “smart book.” Perhaps, it’s trying to re-define the idea of an e-reader or giving you different screens for different tasks. For now, there isn’t any indication Google is developing this concept into a concrete product. But it’s interesting to see what a multi-screen device could look like.

When folded up, it would have solid, non-flexible screens for both the cover and the back to make it more rigid. The tech relies heavily on the hinge with it both anchoring the screens to the device and helping it move as well as having essential components hidden within it. The patent shows thick internal panels for the screens with these set very close together. Distances between the screens range from 1mm to only 0.005mm between each screen. However, this won’t be ideal to head into production, the weight alone would be prohibitive right from the start. Again, for now, this remains a concept. But with how foldable screen technology has been progressing, we won’t be surprised if this becomes an actual product. And we won’t be surprised if Google leads the charge.

Source: Digital Trends