Check Out Microsoft S Locking Hinges Patent For Foldable Devices

Pictures have been published showing Microsoft’s ideas for a foldable device with lockable hinges. While we often see these patent diagrams that never make it past the design phase, the detail in these particular images suggest that this may well be something we see in the future.

What we can work out from the images

The image appears to show that the user will be able to open the foldable device by touching a single point on the top of the foldable device. It doesn’t make clear how this will work, but presumably the touch-point will use fingerprint recognition technology to guard against unauthorised access of the device.

Microsoft upcoming foldable devices?

Microsoft has been working on a couple of different foldable devices over the years. One of them is a pocket-sized device code-named ‘Andromeda‘. These images could be related to that device.

However, Microsoft has also been working on a foldable device codenamed ‘Centaurus‘, which will larger. It is presumed that Centaurus will appeal to many more users as it will be closer in size to a laptop. That or just release Windows 8.1 as a dedicated tablet OS.

Of course, we should also be talking about the elephant in the room. Windows 10 needs some serious work on it if it is to be popular among the tablet-carrying, touchscreen generation.

READ ALSO: Dell’s Januss is a new foldable device running Windows 10 on ARM

I feel, and I don’t think I am alone here, that Microsoft have kind of dropped the ball with Windows 10. They have spent way too much time on the desktop version, and not enough time thinking about how Windows 10 is regarded vis-a-vis tablet users.

With any luck, Microsoft will gets its act together and make some serious inroads into designing a Windows 10 for tablets and foldable devices that users will really like, rather than grudgingly put up with.

For a much more detail description of the images and assumptions drawn from them, head over to Free Patents Online. You can also check out and download the PDF here.

Tell us what you think. Are you more interested in a pocket-sized device or a more sizeable device? Let us know in the comments below.

What we can work out from the images#

Microsoft upcoming foldable devices?#

What we can work out from the images

Microsoft upcoming foldable devices?