A new Honor flip phone with a foldable design is reportedly in the works, hints at a patent application

According to the report, a new Honor foldable phone with a foldable design consisting of sharp and geometric edges could be in the works. Despite the presence of foldable smartphones in the market with the Honor Magic V series sold in several regions, the Chinese smartphone maker does not offer clamshells. However, there is speculation that a foldable smartphone could be in the works, and it could have a clunky design – something that would set it apart in the market.

The new Honor Flip phone is under development

According to a report by Gizmochina, a patent filed by Honor for a foldable phone was spotted on the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) website in 2022. The patent was reportedly approved this month. While no specific details about the smartphone were revealed, the patent images showed a foldable design with sharp edges instead of the rounded corners found on most flip phones on the market.

The front of the clamshell phone is said to have a pill-shaped cutout in the upper left corner and is believed to house the camera unit along with the display lid.

In an interview with CNBC at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 in February, Honor CEO George Zhao confirmed that the company is developing a foldable smartphone that will likely be released later this year. However, the approval of the patent application in May suggests that it may not be what they are talking about.

The upcoming Honor Magic V Flip

This is not the first time that there have been rumors about a foldable phone from Honor. A few days ago, well-known whistleblower Digital Chat Station published an alleged render of the Honor clamshell with a circular camera. That smartphone is supposed to be the Honor V Flip, which the company is reportedly launching in June.

The smartphone is also reported to feature a massive display with a lid and a 4,500mAh dual-cell battery. Once launched, it could rival the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy Flip 6, both of which are expected soon.