Here's what Samsung's next folding flagship, Project Valley could look like

We have been hearing about Project Valley for long. Samsung’s much talked about folding phablet was supposed to change the way we use our mobile devices. It was expected to be first device that would change form from a phablet-sized smartphone to a fully functional tablet, similar to the communicators that we have been ogling at on the famous TV show Westworld. Samsung’s Project Valley device has been in the rumour mill for way too long, and finally we have what would be our first breakthrough when it comes to this mysterious device with a foldable display. [caption id=“attachment_346530” align=“aligncenter” width=“581”] Image: galaxyclub.nl[/caption] The team at Galaxy Club.nl have spotted a patent document  that showcases what could be an upcoming smartphone design from Samsung or that could even be its upcoming flagship the S8. The patent reveals a foldable smartphone in the chocolate bar form factor that showcases a single fold. But this is not some bendable plastic form factor, like the LG G Flex series, but a device that features a mechanical hinge that has some similarities with Microsoft’s Surface Book . [caption id=“attachment_346532” align=“aligncenter” width=“580”] Image: galaxyclub.nl[/caption] The interlocking components allows for one single fold. Mind you this is a fold and not just the flexing of the display. The mechanical hinge is there in place to hold the device flexed in different user positions. [caption id=“attachment_346535” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”] Image: galaxyclub.nl[/caption] Think of it more like a clamshell or folding smartphone, but its just that out here, the display itself folds into two. [caption id=“attachment_346531” align=“aligncenter” width=“473”] Image: galaxyclub.nl[/caption] The folding makes the device compact to store into a shirt pocket, and while opened up, the phone can even be place with the bottom half bent to act like a standing display, with the other half acting as the keyboard. While the design surely looks impressive, it will be interesting to see how Samsung adapts its software to work with the new folding form factor. Still then, this is a bit different from what we have heard about the Project Valley’s design in the past, which consists of two folds where a tablet can be folded into a phablet-sized smartphone similar to the one you can see in this old Samsung display demo video below.