Samsung have filed a curious patent application that they’re obviously hoping will go some way to satisfy the different groups of people who prefer either on-screen buttons or hardware controls: mount the phone keypad on the battery itself, and let users swap them out for alternative layouts.

Dual-screens mean you can choose from a web-friendly larger touchscreen or a less power-draining, call and SMS message suitable sub-display mounted on the back of the handset.  As with all vaguely ambiguous patent illustrations, you have to think beyond the simple line drawing; how about a landscape orientation phone with a broad QWERTY keyboard on the back that can swap out for a gaming joypad?

Samsung Patent [via Unwired View]