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Forward-looking: Clamshell phones are back after falling out of fashion for many years, thanks to the likes of Samsung's Z Flip series. It seems that Motorola has ambitions to upgrade its version of the foldable with a new feature, judging by a new patent showing a flip phone with a motorized hinge.
Motorola, maker of the Razr flip phones, published a new patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on September 26, writes 91mobiles.
Titled Autonomous Form Factor Control of a Foldable Mobile Device, the patent shows a clamshell phone standing in a tent position, while another image shows it lying with the top half open.
Current flip phone owners often use these positions to take selfies (or group photos where they are in the picture) and for video calls. The problem is trying to find the correct camera angle, especially when the subject moves forward or backward.
The patent describes a Motorola phone that features Shape Memory Alloy, which can change shape when heat is applied, and Linear Resonant Actuators to automatically adjust the hinge.
The final component is a powerful processor that can observe the subject and alter the hinge angle based on their movements and position. This would keep the person in frame as they move closer, tilting the camera up, or farther from the handset, tilting it down.
While the feature would be useful for taking photos and selfies, one can imagine it being especially helpful for video calls. It brings to mind Apple's Center Stage feature. Introduced in 2021 for iPads and Macs (connected to Studio Display) with ultra-wide front-facing cameras, it uses machine learning to adjust the camera, keeping the subject(s) in frame as they move around. Motorola's solution would likely work better than Center Stage in cases where subjects move too close or too far away.
Interestingly, the patent also describes a clip-on motor sold as a separate accessory that could perform the same function.
It's worth remembering that many patents never get turned into real-world products, so this one might never get beyond the drawing board. Still, it looks promising – provided it avoids the durability issues that have plagued many foldable phones.