You already know TCL is working on folding screen device. We saw that last year when the company showed off a tri-fold smartphone prototype. Yesterday (or still today for some), the company kind of re-reveal the tri-fold smartphone prototype along with an entirely new concept of folding smartphone.
OK. That new one is definitely NOT a folding phone. That is a rolling display concept smartphone. Can’t wrap your head around the concept? Just think LG Rollable TV and the idea will ease up in your head.
Claiming as the world’s very first rollable extendable smartphone concept, TCL re-imagined a completely novel way of leveraging on the flexibility of flexible AMOLED display technology. The device, we heard, is not working example. So, there’s really not a lot to get thrill about.
The device is considerably thin at just 9 mm and it features internal motors that extend the 6.75-inch display to a 7.8-inch display at a press of a button. What you can do with a larger display needs no further detailing.
The obvious boon with a rollable display is, it will not have creases lie folding screen phones do. At this point, the TCL Rollable Display Concept is a through and through concept. So, don’t even think of holding your breath for it to materialize.
We have already talked about the tri-fold device. From what have read, nothing new has surfaced, but if you really need to know, here are the official words:
“This working prototype uses both of the company’s hinge technologies -DragonHinge and ButterflyHinge -to fold a 10-inch tablet into a 6.65-inch device with 20.8:9 aspect ratio and 3K display resolution. This is the first large screen tablet to leverage dual hinges and folds to achieve this type of product design, ensuring smooth folding inward and outward with a minimal gap, and features a multidimensional shine with a 3D holographic finish. At this time there are no pricing or availability details for TCL’s trifold tablet concept”
Is the future really about folding screen devices? My take is, it won’t. At least not as the daily driver for most people. It (folding phone) would likely be the Nokia Communicator, or if BlackBerry, of the near future. In other words, for power users or professionals who find it hard to work with “tiny” display.
Images: TCL.
