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Nokia patent shows shape-shifting phone

Such a device will respond according to the shape a user puts it in. Bending it to resemble a can will cause it to do a search for a bar or pub in the neighborhood, for example.

John Chan

A patent filed by Nokia with the US Patent and Trademark Office describes a bendable device with a flexible screen. It's not simply that, of course, as we know phones with flexible panels aren't new. Remember the ill-fated Readius from Polymer Vision?

According to parts of the patent, the differentiating factor is that such a device will respond according to the shape a user puts it in. For example, bending it to resemble a can will cause it to do a search for a bar or pub in the neighborhood, while making it into the shape of a bowl will activate a search for restaurants.

It may look interesting, but don't get your hopes up for a foldable phone anytime soon. Lots of ideas get patented with nothing to show for it till many years later.

(Source: Crave Asia via Unwired View)