This year’s hot new product seems to be tri-folding phones. When using them so far, I’ve found them to be more experimental than practical. My biggest problem has to be that they’re just a bit too fragile. That’s why I’m actually intrigued by Tecno’s upcoming foldable smartphone. It’s technically still a concept, but there’s positive news on the development that makes me think it’s coming later this year.
The Phantom Ultimate G Fold might just be the first tri-fold that doesn’t make me scared to break it immediately after taking it out of the box. In fact, I managed to get an exclusive early look at the smartphone, and can share some photos.
The clever bit here is Tecno’s decision to fold this thing inwards twice. That means it won’t leave the delicate bendy screen exposed, begging for scratches and scuffs every time you so much as glance at it. Instead, this new G-Style design wraps the flexible display up safely, with a cover screen handling the day-to-day stuff. The cover screen is the same size as a normal smartphone display.
Tecno also reckons this foldable phone sidesteps the usual brick-in-the-pocket problem by slimming everything down to something closer to the size of a regular foldable. Apparently, the tech giant has been tinkering with thinner flexible displays and miniaturised hinges to pull this off. I was impressed with how thin the Huawei Mate XT is, so I’m expecting big things from Tecno.
Tecno says that when the device is fully folded open, the screen is flat – as in properly flat. Plus, you can hover the phone at different angles without it snapping shut or flopping around like a cheap deckchair. I can imagine propping it up to stream something hands-free on the train.
Of course, all of this remains to be seen if the foldable phone actually arrives – since it’s technically still a concept. Tecno plans to reveal more details in mid-July, and I suspect the device will launch later this year. Pricing and availability haven’t been confirmed yet, but expect it to land in markets across Asia, Africa and beyond, with a price likely in the thousands.
