Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority
TL; PhD
- A Huawei patent reveals a radically curved smartphone design.
- The display surrounds the two edges of the phone and doubles as a virtual button.
Curved displays have become Huawei’s high-end flagship fixtures, but they are more for aesthetics than practical functions. However, a new patent shows that future Huawei mobile phones can maximize this design while increasing practicality.
be found LetsGoDigital, this patent Describes the display that occupies the front and sides of the phone. The thin strips on each edge of the screen also contain touch controls, replacing physical volume, power, and trigger buttons. The boundaries of the display are sensitive to various pressure levels.
It is worth noting that Huawei has added virtual buttons to the Mate 30 Pro, but the system is puzzling and unnecessary. Thankfully, it reverted to a physical button after a year.
Huawei’s curved display patent: pros and cons
Using the screen in this way does have its benefits. Although physical buttons are mainly limited to a single function, Huawei’s concept can allow its phones to adjust functions based on currently running applications, activities, or conditions. I will also be eye-catching aesthetically, especially when looking at the phone from the side.
However, negative factors cannot be ignored. Huawei needs some smart touch rejections to prevent users from accidentally activating menus and virtual buttons. Since the display doubles as a button, putting down this phone will be a nightmare.
Huawei is not the first company to imagine a mobile phone with this display design. Xiaomi recently submitted a four-curved phone with a wrap-around Mi Mix Alpha under its belt. In 2019, OPPO’s “waterfall” screen concept debuted for the first time.
It is unclear whether or when this Huawei patent will be available on consumer-ready smartphones. The patent was filed in 2019, so the company has been studying it for some time. However, three years later, the industry is slowly replacing curved displays with folding displays.
But what do you think of Huawei’s patented curved display design? Please be sure to vote in our poll above!