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Samsung found another use for folding screens: Handheld gaming devices

But will they ever see the light of day?
By

Published onNovember 26, 2024

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 multitasking 2
Ryan Whitwam / Android Authority
TL;DR
  • Samsung’s display division has patented a handheld gaming device with a folding screen.
  • It looks like a Nintendo Switch that folds in half, with two controllers on each end.
  • This device may never see the light of day, but it might indicate Samsung is taking notice of the gaming handheld market.

Despite Samsung’s early lead, competition in the folding phone space has been heating up. However, a new patent suggests that Samsung may be considering an entirely different market: handheld gaming devices.

A WIPO patent (via 91mobiles) shows a device that, at first glance, looks like a Nintendo Switch. However, a Galaxy Z Flip-style hinge in the middle allows it to fold in half. The two controllers on either end are reminiscent of Joycons, with a recession that allows the joysticks to fit neatly into the device while closed.

When folded, the screen sits on the inside of the device, protected from harm. That would make it more portable than the Nintendo Switch or other larger handhelds like the Steam Deck and AYN Odin 2 Portal, with tradeoffs in durability and cooling.

While the patent was just registered internationally earlier this month, it was first filed more than two years ago. Since then, Samsung has barely hinted at entering the gaming handheld market. The closest call was a prototype shown off at CES Las Vegas in 2023 called the Flex Gaming, shown in a video from Argentinian YouTuber Federico Ini below.

This design is considerably different than the patent, with a horizontal controller attached to a screen that flips open like a more traditional clamshell device. Again, this wasn’t a functioning gaming handheld, just a proof-of-concept.

It’s unclear whether this device will ever be made, and it’s even less likely that Samsung will make it. It would be interesting to see a premium folding handheld from ASUS or Razer to further capitalize on the premium segment of the retro gaming handheld market.

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