Apple may release an iPhone that’s actually supposed to bend

We all remember the period after the iPhone 6 Plus was released, what with all the stories of people who had suddenly found that their phones had bent out of shape while sitting in their pocket. A new patent now suggests Apple is considering releasing another bendy phone, but this time it won’t be accidental.

The patent was found by Apple Insider, and was awarded yesterday after having been filed in September of 2011. It details devices with flexible displays that can be folded to form a smaller handset without damaging the internal hardware.

It’s hardly a surprising move, the reception of the recently announced LG G Flex 2 shows that people are interested in smartphones with curved displays. It would be more shocking if Apple declared that it had zero interest in working on flexible screen technology.

The patent does detail a number of advantages of a flexible display, including damage resistance thanks to the flexible display deforming to absorb some of the impact. Who needs super-strong displays like sapphire glass when you can just have a screen that bends into a new shape when you drop it?

Just like any other potential flexible phone, the devices inherent flexibility could well lead to a number of new and interesting features. Apple Insider mentions that you could end up with a system that lets you switch your phone on simply by squeezing it.

Bear in mind that this is a freshly awarded patent, so it’s unlikely that we’ll see any flexible iPhones anytime soon. Well, unless we have another bendgate-like issue when the iPhone 6S or iPhone 7 comes out.