Going by Microsoft’s recent patent filing, their next device is a foldable phone that turns into a tablet

For quite a while now, Microsoft has been hinting of a new Windows Phone device. Windows enthusiasts have even gone further and named the yet to be announced phone, the Surface Phone. A device that will be in line with Microsoft’s vision of bringing a totally unique product for the Universal Windows Platform. Well, going by the recent patent filings discovered by MSPoweruser, Microsoft has patented a foldable phone that turns into a tablet depending on the user’s configuration.

These devices can be folded into something small and phone-like. Alternatively, they can be placed into a “tent” mode. This is the mode used by the Lenovo range of Yoga tablets. Better yet, these devices can be folded out to create a larger tablet. If you come to think of it, these devices will ultimately resemble the communication devices used in the technology-themed series, Westworld (I still can’t believe we have to wait till 2018 for season 2! One whole year waiting! ).

“In this way, the housings of the mobile computing device may support a variety of different usage scenarios through arrangement of the housing in relation to each other, e.g., by folding. For example, a “tablet” configuration may be supported in which each of the housings are “laid flat” such that an entirety of the display device is viewable by a user. In a “phone” configuration, one of the housings may be stacked behind another one of the housings such that the mobile computing device may be easily grasped using a single hand yet still provide a portion of the display device that is viewable by a user. In a “closed” configuration, the display device may be positioned internally in the stacked configuration and thus may be used to protect the display device when not in use.”

-part of the patent filings

Through Continuum, Microsoft has managed to seemingly allow you to use your mobile device in a desktop environment. More interesting, just recently the company announced that it will be bringing the full Windows experience plus win32 apps to your mobile device. Essentially, you will be able to run the full Windows OS and desktop apps on ARM mobile devices with no alterations whatsoever.