Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 2 is as innovative as it is expensive, thanks to its flexible design. However, a newly discovered patent not only marks the next step in the evolution of foldables, but also suggests how the Z Fold 3 might make better use of the hardware it already has.

The application was discovered by LetsGoDigital, whose idea for Samsung's multi-use camera system is also shown in the image below.

The design, titled "Foldable electronic device including a plurality of camera modules," is similar to Huawei's Mate X and Mate Xs, with a rear or front sensor depending on how the device is folded and uses a single camera array that functions as the rear or front sensor depending on how the device is folded. Unlike the Mate X, however, these cameras do not appear on the sides, but simply occupy a small notch in the upper right corner of the phone.

Also, two of the three proposed setups place the display on the outside of the folding frame, still like the Mate X, rather than the inside display of the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Placing the main display on this side has productivity benefits and eliminates the need for an additional front cover display. However, this means a higher risk of screen breakage, a very pertinent concern for the fragile flexible displays of these devices.

One version of the patent also suggests that only part of the rear camera can be used either unfolded or folded, while the other is covered by the phone's frame. This makes sense for special camera types that are less useful for taking selfies, such as telephoto lenses, but the high-resolution main sensor could still be used.

Samsung has a recent habit of making "Lite" editions of its flagship phones. It started with the Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note 10 Lite in January of this year, but it really came to prominence with the recent announcement of the Galaxy S20 FE. Folding is still a new form factor, but it would not be surprising if Samsung makes a cheaper version of the Galaxy Z phone sooner or later.

Patents do not guarantee a product based on them, so don't expect this to be Samsung's next big thing. However, given the similarity of this idea to existing products, it would be overly cynical to assume that this is merely a design with an agenda on Samsung's part.

We expect Samsung's next foldable to arrive in early 2021, and since the Galaxy Z Flip debuted at that time last year along with the Galaxy S20 series, we expect the upcoming Galaxy S21 to add a new foldable We expect the upcoming Galaxy S21 to include a new foldable.