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Samsung patents foldable phone that changes sound based on how it is folded

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

This filing describes a foldable device with two speakers, one in each half of the phone. It uses sensors to detect if the device is fully open, fully closed, or partially folded, and adjusts the sound quality of each speaker accordingly to match the physical shape.

Why it mattersIt offers a practical way to keep audio quality consistent as the phone changes shape, which is a common issue with current foldable designs.

In the filing’s own words

A foldable electronic device includes a first and second housings foldably coupled through a hinge, a flexible display supported by the first and second housings, a first speaker disposed in the first housing and a second speaker disposed in the second housing. The electronic device determines first and second states in which the first and second housings unfolded or folded. The electronic device controls sound frequency characteristics of the first and second speakers to have first sound frequency characteristics with the electronic device being in the first state. The electronic device controls sound frequency characteristics of the first speaker to have second sound frequency characteristics with the electronic device being in the second state. The electronic device may also control sound frequency characteristics of the second speaker to have third sound output frequency characteristics with the electronic device being in the second state.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A foldable electronic device comprising: a first housing; a second housing foldably coupled to the first housing through a hinge; a flexible display disposed to be supported by the first housing and the second housing; a first speaker disposed in the first housing; a second speaker disposed in the second housing; at least one sensor; a processor; and a memory operatively connected to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions, and wherein, when the instructions are executed by the processor, the electronic device is configured to: determine, based on sensing data from the at least one sensor, whether the electronic device is in a first state in which the first housing and the second housing are unfolded, a second state in which the first housing and the second housing are folded to face each other, or a third state intermediate between the first state and the second state; control the first speaker and the second speaker to have first sound output frequency characteristics, based on the electronic device being in the first state; control the first speaker to have second sound output frequency characteristics different from the first sound output frequency characteristics, and the second speaker to have third sound output frequency characteristics different from the second sound output frequency characteristics, based on the electronic device being in the second state; and control one of the first speaker and the second speaker to have the first sound output frequency characteristics, and control the other one of the first speaker and the second speaker to have one of the second sound output frequency characteristics and the third sound output frequency characteristics, based on the electronic device being in the third state.

Facts

Company
Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
Official title
FOLDABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SPEAKERS AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME
Publication number
US20260304041A1
Application number
19708134
Filed
Jun 15, 2026
Published
Oct 1, 2026
Inventors
7
Claims
20

Classified under

H04R 3/14 Electricity & electronicsH04M 1/0216 Electricity & electronicsH04M 1/0268 Electricity & electronicsH04R 1/028 Electricity & electronicsH04R 1/26 Electricity & electronicsH04R 5/02 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.