A new Microsoft patent related to hinged devices has just been published, and it shows an interesting locking system that could be used in a dual-screen mobile device. The “user-controllable lock” is detailed in several drawings, and touching it with a single digit would activate a “pop-up” feature that would instantly open the device.
https://twitter.com/h0x0d/status/1073233430194745344
The pop-up feature would rely on springs in the hinge as a force generating element. Once the user-controllable lock is activated, users would be free to open the display further with one hand, but closing the device would automatically re-engage the lock.
Drawings in this patent show a pocketable device, but recent rumors have suggested that Microsoft is currently working on a larger-sized foldable device codenamed “Centaurus.” Microsoft is reportedly still working on a pocketable dual-screen device codenamed “Andromeda,” but a larger version that can provide a laptop-like experience when necessary may resonate more with consumers. Of course, this will all depend on the apps that will be available on these new form-factors.
