Every once in a while, when the Samsung foldable devices take a break from leaking, we see an Apple or Microsoft machine of the sort. It’s the turn of the Microsoft device today, a foldable device, that just appeared in a patent.
Once again we bring up the resurrected Courier project, that may or may not happen, we’re not quite sure. Over the past year Microsoft has come forward with a few foldable device patents, so one more isn’t a surprise. The new documents mention a “Portable device with adjustable optical arrangement” and it seems to be a way used to solve having two optical arrangements on a single device, so they can line up when being closed.
This may well compensate for thin displays, that will be stacked back to back, so the optical arrangement can double in size. We know for a fact that Microsoft is prototyping a foldable device, focused on pen and digital inking. The codename of the project is widely believed to be Andromeda, but it may change, as the time goes by. The resulting machine should open up like a book and feature a foldable hinge.
Sources say that the device may ship with a version of Windows 10 that comes with CShell and built with Windows Core OS. It will use a dual screen and fold into a smartphone-like form factor. Patents don’t mean that a final product will happen, so nothing’s sure. We may learn more at BUILD 2018 next spring.
