Newly surfaced design patents reveal Samsung is experimenting with a radically curved smartphone form factor that dispenses with traditional bezels and buttons.
The sketches show a device with a display that bends seamlessly around the sides, creating the illusion of a bezel-less infinity screen. Physical home, back and menu keys are also absent.
One particularly intriguing patent includes a spot for the S Pen stylus at the bottom, sparking speculation this could be a concept for the upcoming Galaxy Note 4.
It would represent a dramatic departure from the Note series’ traditional rectangular shape. But perhaps Samsung aims to merge its Galaxy S and Note lines into one curvy, button-free smartphone.
Of course, patents don’t always translate directly into actual products. So it’s far from certain a phone with this exotic curvy design will ever materialize.
Nonetheless, the patents provide an exciting glimpse into Samsung’s vision for the future of smartphone hardware. The company seems eager to experiment with audacious new forms going beyond flat slabs.
While the bezel-less, button-less concept may never reach store shelves, some of its innovations could appear in Samsung devices farther down the road. But for now, the patents give mobile fans plenty to speculate about.
