Xiaomi is preparing to open a new page in the foldable phone market. The patent application filed with China’s State Intellectual Property Office revealed the company’s new foldable phone design consisting of three separate panels.

Xiaomi’s triple foldable phone patent published

Patent drawings made last December and published earlier this month show that the device is smartphone-sized to offer both a tablet and a large screen experience. Xiaomi also says that it can turn into a compact format for easy transportation.

Another detail that stands out in Xiaomi’s design is the horizontally positioned rear camera setup. Three camera lenses and an LED flash are lined up side by side at the top of the back panel of the fully open phone.

This positioning differs from the vertical camera arrays preferred in today’s foldable phones. It also allows Xiaomi to place a large format camera system without interfering with the foldable screen.

The drawings in the patent application also give clues about the phone’s hinge mechanism and internal structure. Although the design is still in its early stages, it is possible to say that Xiaomi is testing new hinge designs beyond horizontal foldable phones.

On the other hand, Huawei introduced its new smartphone Mate XT Ultimate Design, which recently dropped a bombshell on the technology world. This device, which can fold the screen into three by realizing a first in the world, has already attracted great attention with its striking design.