TCL Unveils Trifold and Rollable Prototype Smartphones
TCL Communication showcased the company's latest mobile display innovations with the world's first rollable extendable display smartphone concept in addition to its trifold tablet concept.
"With these latest concept devices, TCL has clearly shown that there is still plenty of room for new ideas when it comes to flexible and foldable display technologies, and it's critical for us to think outside the box and lead with innovation," said Shane Lee, General Manager, Global Product Center at TCL Communication. "These new form factors leverage display and hinge technologies that already exist entirely within our fully integrated TCL ecosystem, allowing us to reimagine the future of mobile device development with an aggressive research and development program."
Beyond foldable devices, TCL has identified new ways to take advantage of flexible AMOLED display technology with the development of the first rollable extendable smartphone concept. At 9mm in thickness, this portable concept features a rollable AMOLED display that uses internal motors to extend the 6.75-inch screen to a 7.8-inch display size with the press of a button. This allows for an entirely new device user experience that includes split screen and multi-tasking UI enhancements customized by TCL. Thanks to a larger axis and rolled display, the device has no wrinkles or creases which are commonly found with foldable AMOLEDs. When not in use, a motor-driven sliding panel utilizes advanced mechanics to conceal the flexible display. No pricing or availability details for TCL's rollable extendable display smartphone concept were announced.
While much of the development around foldables has been focused on smartphones, TCL also believes this technology can be leveraged for an even larger screen experience, which is why the company has introduced its tri-fold tablet concept, spearheading a new product category in development. 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. Agaim TCL did not provide pricing or availability details for its trifold tablet concept.