Foldable phones are already the norm for many, but the Galaxy Fold or Z Flip aren't the only source of truth. Flexible screens allow developers to fantasize, so obviously we won't stop there and we should expect something more interesting. For example, why not make a phone that folds into 3 layers, or a smartphone that can roll up the screen? In this article, we will consider two such prototypes, which very soon may become part of our life.
Shows prototypes of foldable and roll-up phones
So let's start with the first device, which is able to fold into three layers. It looks like this:
This concept is extremely unusual, but not to say which is optimal today. It is not entirely clear why 3 different formats of use are needed, because, as a rule, users either fully open the screen or use the phone when folded. In which case the intermediate version will be used, I do not yet understand. Perhaps our readers will help me with this.
The only reason why you really need 3 levels of screen folding is its great compactness. You may notice that when folded, the device with such a large display does not seem so massive and will easily fit in your pocket. Of course, in this case, manufacturers need to pay more attention to the thickness of the case, because in this case the phone turns into a small brick.
A much more interesting option, in my opinion, is the following concept:
You can see that the screen seems to slide out of the case. This concept is commonly referred to as a 'roll-up smartphone'. Why is this option good? Firstly, the phone in this case practically does not increase in thickness. Secondly, it is more convenient to transfer the screen from one state to another. While this is only a mock-up of the phone, the screen in the pictures is a fake. But it should be understood that TCL is already working on the device and will present it in the future.
The main advantage of roll-up smartphones
The advantages presented above are not the most important thing. In my opinion, it is much more important that manufacturers will be able to fold such a screen into several layers. That is, when the user minimizes such a screen, two rollers will be located inside the phone on either side, so when fully minimized, it will be possible to get three levels of the display inside the case. This will allow a very long screen to be accommodated in a small case. And the user can even control the percentage of display disclosure. While we are dealing with the concept above with only one roller and two layers, so when fully expanded, the screen is square, but if they come up with what I propose, it will be possible to expand such a screen to a 16: 9 ratio and a diagonal, for example, 10-12 inches. And yet it will still be a compact phone.
Another option for a roll-up screen
Previously, images of a Samsung patent that showcase a roll-up phone have surfaced on the Web. This is another use case for flexible screens. This option seems to me the most realistic today, since the experience of use does not change much. In the case of the horizontal version, there is a risk of simply breaking the mechanism, but here, due to the fact that the screen opens up, this risk is not very great. In addition, this option is realistic, rather due to the fact that a compact smartphone offers the consumer, while the first type of roll-up phones is, rather, closer to tablets.
Although here it is worth considering that people are basically chasing large screens to accommodate more content, therefore, most likely, almost no one will use 6-inch screens in the near future. In society, it will become the norm when using the phone to open it, at least I think so.
It is interesting to know what you think about this. Share your opinion in the comments and do not forget to read our news in Telegram.