Samsung's latest patent shows phone with wraparound display

According to a new patent spotted by Dutch technology site LetsGoDigital, Samsung could be working on a smartphone with a wraparound display that continues over the phone's edge and onto the rear of the device.

The patent, titled 'Electronic Device Having Plurality of Display and Method for Controlling Same', suggests a handset with a screen that can be viewed from both sides, which should assist immeasurably when it comes to photographing friends and selfie-taking.

In the patent application, Samsung describes a device with "a display configured to include a first surface in a first direction, a second surface in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a third surface enclosing at least a portion of the space formed between the first surface and the second surface."

Presumably, the third surface described consists of the small area of the display that curves over the edge of the handset.

Below, you'll find some of the drawings that accompanied the patent application, which should give you an idea of what Samsung is going for with the proposed device.

Of course, the idea of a display that curves around to the rear of the device is not necessarily a new one – Huawei's foldable Mate X offers similar functionality for selfie and photo taking, and while Samsung's own Galaxy Fold uses a secondary outer screen and not a single curved one, it also allows for friends to see themselves while their photos are being taken.

At present, we don't know whether the patent's proposed design will make its way into an actual phone, though it's believed that the next Samsung Galaxy Fold could fold twice over.