Chinese Tech Firm TCL Developing World's First Rollable Smartphone

This foldable concept smartphone by TCL is just one of over three dozen Chinese electronics maker is developing, as the industry experiments with new and experimental form factors.

But don't expect to see it on shop shelves anytime soon.

"We're spending a lot of time working on concept devices at the moment, we're not really in a hurry to bring these to market. We still feel the technology is a bit rough for consumers to be purchasing this, but we certainly see this as being the future," says Jason Gerdon, head of global communications and strategy.

Faced with stagnating sales as consumers hold onto their devices for longer, smartphone makers are turning to foldable technology to rejuvenate the market.

It's unclear, however, whether the devices will appeal to more than just die-hard tech enthusiasts. There are also questions around reliability.

"Does it look like an IoT device, perhaps? Could it be in some other consumer electronic product or something?" says Gerdon.

"So, there's just so much opportunity out there and it really is just understanding what's going to be most meaningful in the future."

And forget about foldable. How about rollable?

TCL is also developing this smartphone concept with a rollable, extendable AMOLED display. It's claimed to be a world first, although TCL currently only has a mockup to demonstrate.

The working device should come with internal motors that extend a standard smartphone-size screen to a 7.8-inch tablet-sized device.

TCL says a rollable display means no wrinkles or creases that are commonly found in foldable devices.

"If you want to have that larger format, you can simply extend the display that you need," explains Gerdon.

And if one fold isn't enough, how about two?

TCL is also developing this tri-fold concept tablet. It lets a ten-inch tablet fold into a 6.65-inch device by using two sets of hinges. One set folds inwards, the other outwards.

TCL is only displaying a mockup of the device.

"The foldable phones that are out on the market right now are basically prototypes that we can buy," says Nicole Scott from technology website MobileGeeks.

"Manufacturers are trying to make them robust enough that they don't break, but no one really knows what the workable form factor for a foldable phone will be.

"TCL is showing some really exciting new form factors that could actually be potential use cases for how it really works in the future."

TCL did not announce pricing or availability for any of its concept devices.

The Chinese electronics maker is busy building up its own line of smartphones, after announcing it would stop making BlackBerry-branded mobile devices from September this year.

TCL Communications had previously entered into a brand licensing agreement with BlackBerry in December 2016.

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