There's long been talk about a foldable smartphone from Samsung, but now there's something tangible that brings a foldable smartphone closer to reality.

On May 2, Samsung was granted multiple patents for its foldable smartphone design and the way it'll work.

Samsung's latest patents show that the company is experimenting with a smartphone that can fold into thirds – not just a smartphone that can fold in half, as was originally rumored.

Being granted the patents isn't a guarantee that Samsung is making these devices. Many patented devices never see the light of day. Plus, there would surely be several difficulties for Samsung to overcome with a foldable smartphone.

But Samsung has clearly been thinking about and researching the concept, and there's always the chance the design ends up in a real product.

Check out Samsung's ideas for making foldable smartphones: