On March 31, 2021, Samsung submitted a patent to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for a foldable electronic device that can detect fingerprints through part of the screen and officially announced it to the outside world on October 7, 2021. According to the 51-page document content and illustration description, the next-generation Galaxy Z Fold 4 folding screen smartphone is expected to be the first to adopt the double-sided screen fingerprint sensor solution.
Dutch technology blog LetsGoDigital pointed out that because the folding screen device uses a flexible screen-based solution, it is easier to crease when pressure is applied to the screen. Therefore, it is difficult for manufacturers to equip such smartphones with under-screen fingerprint modules. However, with the emergence of new patents, it means that Samsung may have found a way to overcome this problem, and even allows the under-screen fingerprint recognition function to be enabled on both the internal and external screens of the Galaxy Z Fold.
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To this end, Samsung envisions placing the fingerprint sensor in the lower-left half of the inner screen and centering it on the bottom of the outer screen. Obviously, this requires a special printed circuit board (PCB) to be placed between the sensors and connected to the mainboard in some way. A few months ago, it was exposed on the Internet that Samsung had submitted several other patents, one of which also mentioned an under-screen fingerprint sensor suitable for folding screen devices, but during the period we have not been able to see a separate document describing related technology applications.
Considering that the Galaxy Z Fold 3 has only been on the market for one and a half months, it is expected that we will have to wait at least 10 months before we can learn more details about the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4. Looking forward to next year, Samsung may further lower the barriers to entry for folding screen devices. At the same time, it is foreseeable that more brands will enter this field in the next six months, and even Google is expected to display the legendary Pixel Fold before the end of 2021.