Oppo's latest pop-up screen smartphone patent is wild

Image Credit: Oppo

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo is at it again, with a second patent filing for a handset with a pop-up display finding its way onto the web.

While the previous patent detailed a modest additional screen, the new patent goes much further with what appears to be sizable pop-up and slide-out second display designs.

As foldable phones such as the Huawei Mate X and Samsung Galaxy Fold kick off a new era of smartphone design, offering users a much larger screen, these Oppo patents feel like handsets which may bring a more affordable, big screen experience to the market.

Image Credit: LetsGoDigital

Image Credit: LetsGoDigital (Image credit: LetsGoDigital)

Pop up, slide out

According to LetsGoDigital, the patent offers up two different potential designs, with the first packing a pop-up top section - like the rising cameras on the Find X, but bigger - housing an additional display.

There is a slender bezel at the top of the main display, housing the selfie camera and earpiece speaker, and the second screen could provide additional controls when watching a video or playing a game, or even provide a multi-app experience.

Then there's a design with a second screen which slides out from the side of the handset. Again this could be use to provide additional controls or app multi-tasking without having to minimize the app on the main display.

As with all patents, there's no guarantee either design will ever make it to a commercially available handset, but the fact companies are exploring more elaborate smartphone designs is a reason for you to get excited about future releases.

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.