LG Electronics has patents for foldable-device hardware, but that is not evidence the company is preparing to sell phones again. The most directly relevant U.S. patent, for a foldable mobile terminal, was filed in 2019 and granted in 2025. It describes a possible device mechanism—not an announced product or a revived smartphone business.
What LG’s foldable-phone patent covers
U.S. Patent 12,192,391, titled Mobile terminal, belongs to LG Electronics. Its application was filed on July 4, 2019, and the patent was granted on January 7, 2025. It describes a mobile terminal built from first and second bodies with a flexible display extending across them. The bodies fold and unfold using two interlocking hinge systems, including a gear-based mechanism; the display covers the hinge area. The patent record is available at Justia’s patent page.
That makes this more directly phone-related than a patent concerned only with a display panel. But patent drawings and claims describe protected technical possibilities, not necessarily a finished design. The patent does not establish that LG built this device, approved it for production, or plans to sell it.
Why the 2025 grant is not a new launch signal
The 2025 date is when the U.S. patent was granted, not when LG first developed or filed the idea. The application dates to 2019. Filing, publication, grant, product development, and a public launch are distinct events; patent prosecution can take years. A recently granted patent may therefore concern an older concept rather than a new corporate decision.
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LG’s foldable-related patent activity also includes work by two separate companies. LG Display’s U.S. Patent 12,324,113, titled Foldable display device including a foreign material inflow prevention element, concerns display construction and protection from foreign material. Its application was filed on October 20, 2022, published as a U.S. application on June 29, 2023, and granted on June 3, 2025. That is component-level display engineering, not confirmation of an LG-branded handset. See the patent record.
LG Electronics also received U.S. Patent 12,332,700, titled Foldable display device, on June 17, 2025. It covers foldable-display hardware involving a hinge and gear arrangement. Like the mobile-terminal patent, it demonstrates protected technical work, not a commercial phone announcement. The record is at Justia.
Rank #2
- 7.6", Foldable OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1450 nits (peak), 1840 x 2208 pixels, Cover display: 5.8" OLED, 120Hz, HDR,1080 x 2092 pixels, 17.4:9 ratio, 408ppi, 1200 nits (HBM), 1550 nits (peak)
- 256GB 12GB RAM, Octa-core, Google Tensor G2 (5nm), Mali-G710 MP7, Android 13, upgradable to Android 14, 4821mAh Battery, IPX8 water resistant
- Rear Camera: 48MP, f/1.7 + 10.8MP, f/3.1 (telephoto) + 10.8MP, f/2.2 (ultrawide), Front Camera: 8MP, f/2.0, Cover camera: 9.5MP, f/2.2
- 2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900, CDMA 800/1700/1900, 3G: HSDPA 800/850/900/1700(AWS)/1900/2100, CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, 4G LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/14/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/39/40/41/42/46/48/66/71 5G: 1/2/3/5/7/8/12/14/20/25/28/30/38/40/41/48/66/71/77/78/79/257/258/260/261 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Nano-SIM and eSIM
- Unlocked for freedom to choose your carrier. Compatible with both GSM & CDMA networks. The phone is unlocked to work with all GSM Carriers & CDMA Carriers Including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint., Etc.
LG Electronics and LG Display are not interchangeable
LG Electronics was the company behind LG-branded consumer phones. LG Display is a separate, related company focused on display technology. A display patent can matter to the foldable-phone supply chain and may support products made by other brands; it does not, by itself, show that LG Electronics intends to manufacture or sell a phone.
These patents could be useful in several ways: as part of a future device, as technology licensed to another manufacturer, or as component expertise for products beyond phones. The available patent records do not establish a customer, partnership, or particular commercial use.
Rank #3
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LG explored foldable and rollable phones before leaving the market
Foldable-phone patents are not a new development for LG. Reporting in 2018 described an LG patent for a handset that opened into a tablet-like device (Android Authority), and a 2020 report covered a rollable/foldable concept (Android Authority). Those reports show a history of concepts and intellectual property, not evidence that a product later reached stores.
LG shut down its mobile-phone business in 2021, and its planned rollable handset was never commercially released. A teardown of the canceled device published in 2026 illustrates how far that project had progressed, but a discontinued phone is not evidence of a current relaunch (Android Authority). A rollable expands its display by moving flexible screen material; a conventional foldable bends around a hinge. They share flexible-display challenges but use different mechanisms.
Rank #4
- Designed for Gemini Intelligence, brighter screens, and a more durable design, the new Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold delivers eye-opening performance and makes multitasking effortless[1,2,3]
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- As stunning as it is strong: Pixel 11 Pro Fold’s ultra-durable composite back is lighter, stronger, and designed to be nearly impossible to crack[5,6]; and with scratch-resistant glass and an all-new hinge, it’s 3x stronger[5]
- Unfold the fun: Drift away into immersive entertainment on the brighter-than-ever 8-inch screen[2]; take it into tabletop mode for hands-free streaming of your favorite content
- Stay informed without looking at your screen: When your phone is face down, Pixel HiLight gently alerts you with subtle glowing lights when your favorite contacts are calling or you’re talking with Gemini; exclusive to Google Pixel 11 Pro phones
What patents establish—and what they do not
| Patent activity can indicate | It does not establish |
|---|---|
| LG Electronics has claimed technical ideas for foldable mobile-terminal and display hardware. | A phone has been approved for mass production. |
| LG Display has pursued display-panel technology relevant to foldable devices. | LG Electronics has resumed selling smartphones. |
| LG-related intellectual property could have value in devices, components, or licensing. | A model name, launch date, price, retailer, or carrier is confirmed. |
A patent grant protects the claims allowed in that patent. It is not a product roadmap, and a patent drawing should not be treated as a leaked product image. Even a concept that appears technically advanced can be shelved, as LG’s canceled rollable demonstrates.
What would count as evidence of a real comeback?
A credible return would require product-development or commercial signals beyond patent records. Look for an official LG Electronics announcement, a named model, regulatory certification, an official support page, carrier or retailer listings, or reliable reporting of production commitments and shipping plans. The patent activity described here provides none of those signals. As of August 16, 2026, no verified LG-branded foldable-phone launch, price, or release date is established by these sources.
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That leaves a clear distinction: LG-related companies retain foldable-device expertise and patents, while a return to consumer smartphone sales remains unconfirmed. The patent is interesting evidence of technology and intellectual property—not proof that LG is coming back to the phone market.
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