A new tri-fold concept smartphone makes the Galaxy Z Fold 6 seem bulky
As Huawei prepares to launch its first tri-fold smartphone – which has been seen in the wild a few times already – and Samsung is busy developing its own version of this innovative design, another Chinese company, Tecno, has stepped into the spotlight with its own concept for a triple foldable device.
Tecno knows its way around foldable smartphones and isn’t shy about flaunting its R&D projects from time to time. The latest showcase is the Phantom Ultimate 2, a tri-fold concept phone featuring a 6.78-inch cover OLED display that opens up to a huge 10-inch OLED screen with a 3K resolution.
However, while the display size is impressive, the standout feature of the Phantom Ultimate 2 is its slim profile, measuring just 11mm thick when folded. For comparison, the recently launched Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold are 12.1mm and 10.5mm thick, respectively, when folded.
To reach this impressive thinness, Tecno says it has developed its own dual hinge mechanism, which has been tested for up to 300,000 folds. The brand also claims that these dual hinges help reduce the screen crease in the center of the display, but we will have to wait for a real-world device to see if that claim is valid.
Tecno also shares that it has pushed the limits by crafting the thinnest battery cover in any smartphone at just 0.25mm. The Phantom Ultimate 2 tri-fold concept smartphone offers various modes, including a laptop-like setup, media viewing mode, and tent mode for dual-screen translation. On top of that, Tecno claims the software is specially optimized to make the most of its tri-fold design.
Since this is a concept device, Tecno hasn't shared any further details like the chipset, battery capacity, or camera specs. It is also a mystery whether and when the company plans to launch this product or something similar. However, it definitely offers an exciting glimpse into the future of the foldable smartphone market.
With so many companies diving into the tri-fold design, I think we might not be too far from seeing these devices in the real world. As mentioned, Huawei and Samsung are both working on their own models, and Xiaomi is also getting in on the action. However, don’t expect tri-fold smartphones to go mainstream anytime soon, as the production costs for such devices will likely be through the roof. For instance, Huawei’s upcoming tri-fold smartphone is rumored to have a price tag of around $4,000.
The latest ultra-thin tri-fold concept offers a glimpse into what the future of foldable smartphones could look like
Tecno knows its way around foldable smartphones and isn’t shy about flaunting its R&D projects from time to time. The latest showcase is the Phantom Ultimate 2, a tri-fold concept phone featuring a 6.78-inch cover OLED display that opens up to a huge 10-inch OLED screen with a 3K resolution.
Tecno’s tri-fold concept smartphone. | Image credit – Tecno
To reach this impressive thinness, Tecno says it has developed its own dual hinge mechanism, which has been tested for up to 300,000 folds. The brand also claims that these dual hinges help reduce the screen crease in the center of the display, but we will have to wait for a real-world device to see if that claim is valid.
Tecno also shares that it has pushed the limits by crafting the thinnest battery cover in any smartphone at just 0.25mm. The Phantom Ultimate 2 tri-fold concept smartphone offers various modes, including a laptop-like setup, media viewing mode, and tent mode for dual-screen translation. On top of that, Tecno claims the software is specially optimized to make the most of its tri-fold design.
Video credit – Tecno
With so many companies diving into the tri-fold design, I think we might not be too far from seeing these devices in the real world. As mentioned, Huawei and Samsung are both working on their own models, and Xiaomi is also getting in on the action. However, don’t expect tri-fold smartphones to go mainstream anytime soon, as the production costs for such devices will likely be through the roof. For instance, Huawei’s upcoming tri-fold smartphone is rumored to have a price tag of around $4,000.
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