It's not the first time we see Samsung filing a patent application for a flexible mobile display, and getting it approved, but in light with the CEO hint that next year we might see a foldable device become reality, the latest patent is worth your attention. The application has been filed last year, and granted July,7th.

This time the twist is that Samsung has filed for a foldable screen not only of the OLED variety, but an LCD one, too, with roughly the size of one of its Galaxy tablets. The circuit board for the LCD one is on the outside of each half, while with the foldable OLED it is integrated into the package, and bends together with the panel.

Another interesting recent Samsung patent approved by the USPTO involves near-invisible virtual buttons. These are active areas situated near the edge of a touchscreen, which can command the camera app, for instance. The so-called "sensor pads" can apparently be mapped to different functions, too, so imagine a back button that is constantly under the tip of your thumb on the side of the phone, without taking physical space below the screen, or a shutter button that doesn't take away from the scene framing. If and how are these becoming reality, remains to be seen, but the R&D departments keep inventing and patenting, so at some point we will see a variation of those materialize, hopefully not too much further down the road.

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Can you live without a home button on your next shiny new iPhone? Well, you are probably living just fine already if you own the iPhone X, but at least you had a choice to go for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in 2017. As per recently posted images by 9to5Mac, none of the iPhones which Apple will release in a week's time will have the Home button. Does this mean that Apple is bidding adieu to the fingerprint scanner completely? Well, it certainly looks that way, unless they can do a Vivo and install the fingerprint scanner right within the display! Check out the images yourself, which also happens to have the 4^th gen Apple Watch on there as well.

Just in case you are not up to date with the rumor mill, let us remind you of the key ones below.

·         Both iPhones will be styled similarly to the iPhone X

·         Only the larger, 6.5" iPhone will have an OLED display and two cameras

·         The older iPhone X might receive a price cut, but an upgrade in hardware ($899)

·         The new 6.1" device will be sold at $699 and the large screen, 6.5" iPhone will cost $999

Do take all this with plenty of criticism because unlike Samsung, Apple usually plays things pretty close to their proverbial chest.

Saikat Kar

If the reports are correct, then LG will probably unveil the G5 at the Mobile World Congress 2016. Traditionally, LG has always launched its flagship G-series devices a few months after the MWC. This year however, LG is possibly going to put the G5 in head-to-head competition with the Samsung Galaxy S7, one of the most awaited Flagship Android devices of 2016.

LG knows that the Galaxy S7 is already one of the biggest competitors to the G5 at both the MWC and after sales. It is believed by many that in order to counter Samsung's upcoming flagship, the G5 has been redesigned to a great degree in comparison to previous iterations of the G-series. A "leaked" diagram surfaced recently and if it has any legitimacy to it, then the G5 will have volume buttons on the side, rather than on its back like the G4.

From what has been seen in the diagrams, a 149.4 x 73.9 x 8.2 mm metal body may house the power button/fingerprint sensor and a 20 megapixel shooter on the back with a bottom firing mono speaker. The 3.5 mm audio port can be seen on the top while the front of the smartphone may feature a 5.6-inch QHD panel. It should also be powered by the Snapdragon 820 chipset seen only in the LeTV Le Max Pro so far. Will these alleged specs be enough for the G5 to give the Galaxy S7 a run for its money? We will soon find out.

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