The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is weeks away from an official unveiling. Its design is no longer a mystery in the wake of so many leaked renders, and it's going to take a while before the Galaxy Z Flip 4 will even hit our radars. Nevertheless, a few interesting sketches found by LetsGoDigital were published by the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) today, showcasing an unusual Galaxy Z Flip concept with a rotating camera embedded in the hinge. Some believe that it's an early preview of the Galaxy Z Flip 4, but we wouldn't bet on that.
The WIPO documents describe a clamshell phone that seems to have a similar footprint to the ongoing Galaxy Z Flip series. It has a foldable display, as well as a much larger cover display made possible by the relocation of the main camera system.
The sketches reveal a dual rotating camera inside the hinge, the latter of which looks almost comically large when compared to the final hinge design adopted by the existing clamshell foldable phones.
Rotating cameras have failed to become mainstream, so don't hold your breath
Although this design would allow this foldable clamshell phone to have a larger cover display, let's not forget that rotating and pop-up cameras haven't made as big of a dent in the market as some may have initially hoped.
Under-panel cameras are the next best thing, and this technology is finally ready to reach the consumer market with the release of the Galaxy Z Fold 3. It won't make it into the Galaxy Z Flip 3, but its eventual sequel — the Galaxy Z Flip 4 — will most likely have UPC technology.
In other words, we wouldn't advise you to look at these documents as if they're a sneak preview of the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Rotating and pop-up cameras are out, while under-panel cameras are in, and we don't see Samsung going back to an intricate mechanism while disfavoring UPC. Not to mention that this particular hinge design looks out of place and unwieldy.
At most, this WIPO application represents one of Samsung's shelved experiments, and it serves the company to protect its intellectual properties. But it probably doesn't reveal any secrets pertaining to the future Galaxy Z Flip 4. Check the sketches below and see for yourself.
