Beijing, Dec 14 (IANS): Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has patented a new large-display smartphone which folds in half in the middle like Moto Razr, protecting the screen as a result.

China's National Intellectual Property Administration website shows it's granted Xiaomi's new foldable design patent, which was filed in August.

Unlike the Moto Razr, Xiaomi's new foldable smartphone patent shows a pop-up selfie camera, LetsGoDigital reported recently.

It is not Xiaomi's first foldable design. Recently, the company patented a foldable smartphone with five pop-up camera setup.

According to the patent, this foldable phone has an outward-folding screen and depending on how a user holds it, the five cameras can either be rear cameras or front-facing cameras.

The sketches of the device suggest that it will have a really thin bezels and no display notch. The patent seems to have been submitted on August 20 and was approved and published last week.

Xiaomi is expected to release the foldable phone by the end of 2019.