Apple may be busy with a number of products to be launched this year, but that doesn't mean the giant has abandoned its efforts to rebuild its flagship smartphone. A new patent points to the possibility of a foldable iPhone with a distinctive hinge that prevents the display from creasing.

The patent, filed with the USPTO and discovered by AppleInsider, suggests a curved hinge design that would allow folding without stressing the display with sharp creases. This would also extend the life of the proposed foldable iPhone, making it less likely to crack over time.

We have seen existing foldables like the Samsung Galaxy Fold and the newly launched Motorola Razr suffer from different hinge-related problems. Apple's solution is a mechanism that curves the center portion outward like a teardrop. By extending the radius of the folding area, it is less likely to cause a nonfree fold.

This is not our first glimpse of what a foldable iPhone could look like. Designer Antonio de Rosa imagined a beautiful foldable iPhone concept in March, and previous Apple patents on foldable batteries and cold-resistant displays have explored how it might work.

Some analysts predict that Apple will release a foldable iPhone as early as 2020, but so far we have only heard rumors about the 4.7-inch iPhone SE 2 (iPhone 9) and several iPhone 12 models.

Apple is constantly filing patents, and some of their protected ideas never make it to the public. It is premature to say whether the foldable iPhone falls into the concept-only category. But if such a phone works as described above (and promises better durability than current folding alternatives), I would be tempted to get it.