Skip to main content

Apple files patent for scroll-like mobile device with rollable display surfaces

Apple iPhone 6 side buttons
An Apple patent dating back to August 2015 has just surfaced, illustrating a scroll-like device with a bendable display. The design features two barrels into which the screen can roll up and be stored away, making for a smartphone or tablet that can be kept in a much more compact form factor when not in use.

The two barrels would house all of the device’s internal components between them, according to the filing. They would also contain either mechanized rollers or static structures around which the panel would coil. The screen would deploy and retract through a system of latches and springs, along with a brush to clear any potential debris as the device is returned to its stored state.

Related Videos

As AppleInsider notes, the distance between the two cylinders when unfurled is suitable for a pair of cameras, one on each chassis, that could create a stereoscopic 3D effect. To make the most of limited space, the patent presents the possibility of stowing much of the circuitry within the rollers.

Apple specifically mentions OLED technology to power the flexible panel, and in the patent considers the usage of elongated metal support beams, running perpendicular and parallel to the device, that can keep the screen rigid when being used and snap and become flexible when it is rolled away. When not in use, magnets will hold the two barrels tightly together.

With Apple reportedly still struggling to lock down supply for conventional OLED displays in its upcoming iPhone, we are assuredly many years away from such a device coming to fruition. Flexible screens, though, are very much real, have been tried before, and could even return later this year in a completely foldable phone from Samsung or LG. However, the ability to mass produce them with the same kind of fidelity found in typical panels, along with the tight packaging and engineering challenges presented by Apple’s proposal, means this particular implementation is still in the experimental stages.

Editors' Recommendations

This Apple leaker just revealed tons of changes for iOS 17 and iPhone 15
iPhone 14 Pro with Widgy and Siri Suggested apps widget on a home screen

Apple is expected to release iOS 17 later this year — and we now have a better idea of what it'll look like. A new leak reveals the company plans major changes to its Music and Home apps, as well as the inclusion of a new app for its rumored headset.

The report comes from LeaksApplePro, a hit-or-miss leaker over the years. According to this, the iOS 17 update later this year is expected to be a minor one. Unlike last year, there are no large visual updates expected,  with the built-in iPhone apps being targeted with minor refreshes and updates. There are reports of some changes to the Music app, the Home app, and Find My, but very few specifics.

Read more
How Apple can (and should) save the iPhone SE 4
The Apple iPhone SE (2022) and Apple iPhone SE (2020) together.

When it comes to Apple’s iPhone lineup, most people just think of the latest mainline series. Right now, this means the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. However, there’s still the iPhone SE, now in its third iteration, that still serves a purpose for a specific niche of iPhone user.

The original iPhone SE from 2016 recycled the iPhone 5S body, which was a great design at the time, and it had the perfect small and compact 4-inch size for one-handed use. The second and third-generation iPhone SE reused the older iPhone 8 body, which had a slightly larger 4.7-inch screen, and are still the only iPhones left using Touch ID. Plus, you could pick up an iPhone SE for less than $430, making it a great pick if you’re budget is tight.

Read more
Why I hope Apple makes iOS 17 as boring as possible
iPhone 14 Pro with Widgy and Siri Suggested apps widget on a home screen

It’s a new year, which means Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference will commence in just a few months now. At that time, we’re definitely going to see the next round of software updates for iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, and possibly, tvOS. On the iPhone and iPad front, this means we’ll be getting iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.

But according to recent reports, this may be a quieter year for software updates for current devices. That’s because it seems Apple is putting most of its attention on the long-rumored mixed-reality headset, which may finally be announced this year.

Read more